Board of Supervisors — May 12, 2026

Alright everybody, good morning. I'll call to order the May 12, 2026 regular meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Hartman moves approval.

And I second.

Okay, any comment? All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Next item of business is the County Executive Officer Report. Mr. Horton, is there anything to get us started with today? No report this morning, Chair. Well, thank you, Mr. Laura for subbing in here for CO Miyasato. And Madam Clerk, are there any announcements or changes to our agenda today?

Chair Nelson and members of the board, I do have a couple quick announcements this morning. An addendum was posted on Friday, May 8th, amending Administrative Item Number 42. Administrative Item Number 42 is from the County Executive Office regarding a site hearing to consider recommendations regarding the fiscal year 2026 through 2027 recommended budget for the County of Santa Barbara and recommended budget for the County of Santa Barbara as the successor agency to the former County of Santa Barbara Redevelopment Agency. The recommended actions have been revised to reflect that budget hearings are scheduled for a single day on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. This addendum has been posted and made available both online to the board and the public.

And lastly, for information on the Board of Supervisors' methods of public participation and instructions on how to provide public comment on items listed on today's agenda or during general public comment, please refer to page 2 of the agenda. Individuals who wish to provide verbal public comment may do so via Zoom by registering in advance using the link provided on page 2.

Please note that Zoom is available solely for the purpose of providing verbal public comment and is not intended for viewing the meeting. Alternative viewing options are listed on page 2 of the agenda. If you have any questions, please contact the Clerk of the Board's Office at 805-568-2240. Again, that number is 805-568-2240. And that concludes my announcements for today.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. At this time, the next item of business is the Administrative Agenda. Right now I have a few items pulled by the board and the public. Looks like, just to make sure I have it correctly here, for the board we have a point A2, A31, A40, and A46. Any other items that my colleagues want to have pulled? Okay. And then for the public we have public point A1, A2, A4, and A18.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, that is correct.

Okay. So, at this time, I'd take a motion to approve the balance of the agenda. So, those are all items except for A1, 2, 4, 18, 31, 40, and 46. So

moved.

Second. Motion by Hartman, a second by Lee. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes unanimously. All right. At this time, we'll go ahead and move to a couple items that were pulled as well as our honorary resolutions that we'll be presenting here today. And we'll go ahead and do those in order. And we'll start off with item A1. Would you, Madam Clerk, read that into the record? And then I believe we have somebody from the public that's speaking on A1. So once you read it into the record, I'll have Anne read the resolution. Then I'll have the speaker speak. We'll take a vote on it. And then we'll do the pomp and circumstance.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, administrative item number one is sponsored by Supervisor Lee and Supervisor Hartman. It is to adopt a resolution proclaiming the week of May 3rd, 2026 through May 9th, 2026 as Youth Mental Health Awareness Week in Santa Barbara County. And we have one request to speak from the public on this item. We're going to remain here in Santa Maria and go to Candace Mennegan. Candace?

Okay. All right.

All righty. We'll move Candace to A2. Okay,

great. Thank you.

And we'll proceed with presenting Administrative Item Number 1. And joining us in person today, and if you can

please... Actually, before we do that, I just need a motion to approve Item A1.

I move that we approve A1.

I'll second. Okay, so we have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Wow, tongue-tied this morning, guys. Sorry about this. Motion passes unanimously. So would you go ahead and read the resolution and do the presentation.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, again, joining us for administrative item number one in person today, we have Ina Liu and Adriana DeFranco. If you can please make your way to the podium. And I will go ahead and read the resolution into the record. Whereas the week of May 3rd through May 9th, 2026 is recognized nationally as Youth Mental Health Awareness Week, a time to increase public understanding of mental health, reduce stigma, and promote access to care for individuals and families.

And whereas many mental health conditions emerge during childhood and adolescence, making early identification, intervention, and support essential to the healthy development and well-being of young people. And whereas children and youth may face increased vulnerability to anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, and social isolation. And timely access to culturally and linguistically responsive services can improve long-term outcomes. And whereas barriers such as stigma, costs, and limited access to care continue to prevent many youth and families from seeking needed support, underscoring the importance of community awareness and accessible resources.

And whereas the state of California has launched the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, CYBHI, a significant investment to expand access to care and strengthen early intervention for children and youth. And through the California Department of Health Care Services has made available free. confidential behavioral health resources for youth and families regardless of income, insurance, or immigration status, including digital tools such as Bright Life Kids and Saluna to help young people access support, build coping skills, and connect with resources. Now, therefore, be it hereby ordered and resolved that this Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara does hereby proclaim May 3rd through May 9th, 2026 as Youth Mental Health Awareness Week in Santa Barbara County, passed and adopted today.

Welcome, Ms. Liu, please.

Thank you Chairman Nelson and members of the board for this resolution and for the care you've shown for young people here in Santa Barbara County. My name is Ina Liu. I'm here representing Saluna and with me is Adrienne DeFranco from our sibling program, Bright Life Kids. Together, we represent the digital front door represented by the State of California's Behavioral Health Youth Initiative. It's an honor to be here today to accept this on behalf of the many partners, educators, families, and community leaders who show up every day to support young people.

As we've grown this work, we focus on two key questions. Are we reaching young people and expanding access to care? And are we helping them feel better? We're seeing meaningful progress and I want to share a few highlights with you today. Bright Life Kids in Saloona have provided more than 500,000 children, youth, and families across California with free behavioral health support.

Young people aren't just signing up, they're coming back. Connecting with coaches, using tools, and finding community. With 98% of coaching participants saying they're satisfied with their experience. And now independent research from Northwestern University shows that within the first month, young people using Saluna are already feeling better. With reductions in anxiety, depression, loneliness, and hopelessness. Decreases in suicidal ideation and overall improvement in quality of life. And that's what this work is all about. Reaching young people, expanding access to care, and helping them feel better.

And while May is a time to raise awareness, we know that this work doesn't begin or end here. It's ongoing and it's rooted in community, sustained by commitment, and made possible by leadership like yours. So thank you, Vice Chair Hartman and Supervisor Lee, for carrying this resolution and to the entire board for ensuring the youth of Santa Barbara County know that they are never alone.

Wonderful.

Don't go yet. Ms. Liu, one second.

Don't go yet,

please. Supervisor

Hartman. I just had a question for you. So if we know a young person, could you tell us the age range for which people are eligible and how they would access your services?

Absolutely. I can say a few words and you can share them. So we cover the whole age span, 0-25. 0-13 is covered by Bryler Kids and Adriana can share a few words about that. Saloona is for 13-25 year olds. Again, both services are absolutely free. Saloona is accessible for any internet enabled device, so web, phone, tablet. Most engage through the app. You can also engage through the web portal SaloonaApp.com or through the Android or Apple app download service. And

what kind of information do you give when you

first? Minimal, we really just need three pieces of information, your date of birth just to confirm you are in the age group, an email, and your zip code to make sure you're within the state of California.

And then how long till the person hears back?

They are signed up right away, they can access any of the content, self-help, we have coaching, there's a peer support community, there's coaching navigation. I'm very proud to say that our drop-in coaching, the wait time is less than five minutes on average, so services immediately, but again, there's a broad array of services from self-help and peer support community.

And then, does it deal with things, I mean, serious things like schizophrenia and serious depression and then help guide people?

Yep, yep. We have content available for various needs and can connect back into the local community. Do you want to share a few words around accessing

Bright Life? Thank you for the opportunity. So Bright Life Kids, very similar to Soluna, but we're serving the parents. with children with 0 to 12. So parents are the ones signing up for our services, and parents are the ones receiving the coaching sessions. Just reiterating, we're free. We don't ask for personal information. We don't ask the immigration status of the family. We don't need income verification. We don't need insurance verification. So it's really an open door to every family in California. And very easy to sign up, very quick access, availability is very fast, so we're there to support the families really where they are. And the services being virtual, the family doesn't have to go anywhere, right? The youth doesn't have to be anywhere, making it even simpler, easier for them to access the services.

Well, thank you. Those are extraordinary opportunities for people who really need it. Thank you. We

appreciate it. Thank you.

All right, Madam Clerk, will you please read Administrative Item Number 2 into the record.

Chair Nelson and members of the Board, Administrative Item Number 2 is sponsored by Supervisor Hartman. It is to adopt a resolution recognizing the importance of biodiversity. And joining us in person today, we have Steve Winginger and Helene Schneider.

Before we get there, I do have, yeah, so this one was polled by the public as well as by myself. And I just wanted to ask a quick question of council, just kind of understand, I know it's a little odd on the resolutions, but when I was reading over our agenda today, I saw this resolution and, you know, I support it, everything in there, I mostly agree with.

It was a little bit different than most resolutions that we get. You know, I've read probably over a thousand resolutions since I've been at the board. This one looks more like a policy statement than a resolution. I know Supervisor Hartman, I've reached out to her and she explained to me that what this was for, but it just looks a little bit differently than other resolutions. And I just want to make sure, you know, it kind of reads like a policy statement more than a resolution. Usually we do resolutions for organizations or to commemorate some special week.

Madam Council, would you just tell me, like, what is the, like, binding obligation of a board when we adopt these honorary resolutions? Are these, are they policy of the board, or is it more of a, you know, aspirational goal-setting type of opportunity for us? I just want to kind of understand that a little bit better, because I don't want to come back and hear this later on that said, hey, your board adopted this, so you need to do, you know, X, so you need to do Y in the future. Because I think that that's a really bad precedent for us because I think when we have policy discussions, we should, you know, roll up our sleeves and have policy discussions. You know, I think resolutions are times to just celebrate organizations and what's great in our county.

And this is something that we can all celebrate, but I just want to make sure it's in context so it doesn't get used later on in some way that wasn't initially intended by the board. So would you mind just, is it, what is the binding obligation of a resolution like this to the board?

Mr. Chair and members of the board, so generally resolutions, there's kind of two different kinds. Sometimes you do a resolution related to a grant, and that is binding on the board, although it can be replaced by a future resolution. So it's not as if it's ongoing. Typically, these types of resolutions are more celebratory or in recognition of something. This one does appear to be a little bit different, but I think it's lawful for the board to adopt the resolution.

But it does not appear, usually when the board adopts a policy, it says it's a policy.

A policy, right. So I just wanted to clarify that on behalf of Supervisor Hartman. And I had asked Supervisor Hartman, because I wanted clarification, but I wanted to clarify for the public too. Supervisor Hartman.

I just wanted to raise one other issue of the impact of resolutions. Sometimes for public works, when we've passed a resolution, then that gives them an opportunity for for allowing flags or things on public spaces to acknowledge what we're pinpointing as valuable.

Right. And so again, I'm not opposed to this resolution. I just want some clarification. I just read a little bit differently and I didn't know if anybody in the public read it a little bit differently as well. So I just want to ask that question and get that clarification. So thank you for indulging me on that. And so I do believe we have a couple of public commenters on this item. So I want to give public comment on the item before we adopt the resolution. So Madam Clerk, can you please Bring up the first public commenter, and I'm going to ask the public commenters to try to keep it to two minutes. We have a lot of public commenters here today in general public comment. So on the A items, if you try to keep the two minutes, some of you may have prepared for three.

Let's try to keep it down so that we can get to everybody today. So.

Chair Nelson, members of the board, we will begin here in Santa Maria with Candace Mennegan to be followed by Stephanie Diaz. Candace.

Welcome.

Hi there. Good morning Chair Nelson and Supervisors. My name is Candace Mennegan and I'm the Executive Director of Coastal Ranchers Conservancy. And Coastal Ranchers Conservancy is a local non-profit that has a mission to support nature conservation, restoration, education along the 76 miles of the Gaviota Coast. We've joined together with over 40 organizations from the region as part of the Biodiversity Working Group to adopt the community vision and policy platform to support biodiversity along the central coast of California.

As a member of this biodiversity group, we jointly understand that biodiversity must be woven into thinking and planning and a way of life for equitable communities. that are dynamic and sustainable economies for Santa Barbara County. Coastal Ranches Conservancy recently adopted a new strategic plan with a key focus on biodiversity conservation. Our programs are focused on connecting lands, rivers, and communities to the landscape.

And for that reason, we're very heartened that Vice Chair Hartman has brought this resolution before you today. The County of Santa Barbara, you know, is going to recognize and celebrate our irreplaceable biodiversity. And that really brings alignment with all these over 40 organizations regionally with the county and the county agencies. And we just are grateful for the recognition of that biodiversity and are in support of the resolution and grateful for that recognition today. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Minnichan.

We will now go to Stephanie Diaz to be followed by Scott Cooper. Stephanie.

Good morning, Chair Nelson and Supervisors. I'm Stephanie Diaz, representing the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. And the Land Trust is very excited about the preparation of this resolution by the county. We understand the importance of protecting and enhancing biodiversity because it supports long-term sustainability for the county. The land trust's work also is very in, what do I want to say, support of biodiversity. We, over the past 40 years, have conserved Over 58,000 acres of land, including canyons, watersheds, coastal properties, ranches, agricultural land. And these different lands come together to present very strong biodiversity within the county.

We're also a part of the Biodiversity Working Group that Candace just mentioned. There's 40 nonprofits that work together in support of biodiversity. As you may know, Santa Barbara County is in a really unique biological area where the biology of Northern California and Southern California come together and make a really diverse, strong, abundant, outstanding biologic area.

I don't want to run out of time here.

You're fine.

Okay. What happens when you have these very strong and abundant diverse biodiversity areas? You get clean air and water, climate regulation, wildfire protection, and agricultural productivity. These diverse ecosystems do face increasing pressure from climate change. Habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and development. So protecting these significant lands, it requires sustained local action, land stewardship, and thoughtful public policy.

This biodiversity is also reflected in the existing county policies through your comprehensive plan and its elements such as the conservation element and the open space element. And we urge the Board of Supervisors and thank you for supporting this biodiversity resolution that's going to be serving current and future residents and The growth within the county. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Diaz.

And we will now go to Scott Cooper, and we will go to Zoom with Bill Woodbridge. Scott?

And I'm going to go ahead and close, but put a comment on this item at this time.

Scott? I thank the chair and the board for this opportunity to talk to you. My name is Scott Cooper, and I am the chair of the county's, that is your, Fish and Wildlife Commission. The Commission has discussed this resolution at its last two meetings, and we unanimously support it because we feel it's totally congruent with the Commission's mandates and goals, which are to conserve and restore fish and wildlife populations in the county.

The county's high biodiversity provides a lot of amenities for our communities. They provide clean air and water, but they also support numerous recreational, commercial, and educational endeavors. The value of biodiversity can't be told short, and I think that this resolution on behalf of the Commission allows the Board to recognize the importance of biodiversity and its conservation to the County, but also can be integrated into the County's decision and policymaking.

Also, the commission would like to support the suggestion that you ask county staff to develop a report on the steps and funding to support biodiversity initiatives. Toward this end, I might point out that you periodically consider proposals and applications to the county's Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund that support a variety of conservation projects, including educational research and habitat enhancement and wildlife rescue projects.

I would like to thank Supervisor Hartman for introducing this resolution, and we request that the Board approve it. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you, Mr. Cooper.

We will now go to Zoom with Bill Woodbridge, who is our final speaker on this item. Bill?

Hi, Chairman and Supervisors. I'm in Goleta. My name is Bill Woodbridge. I really appreciate Supervisor Hartman's initiative on getting this resolution to the board. Without biodiversity and wildlife, we're doomed. There are so many places that are being, biodiversity and wildlife are being suppressed. Endangered species are being just really destroyed by the Trump administration.

We really need to save everything we can in order for our survival and the Earth's survival. We need the biodiversity. We need the wildlife to maintain everything in nature's natural order. If we destroy those things, we're doomed. We're just gone. And we're in the process of doing it now. The drilling companies don't care what they do. Manufacturing companies don't care what they do.

AI companies don't care what they do. So we really need to pass this resolution. And I fully support Commissioner Hartman's efforts and the board's efforts. And I hope you will pass this resolution. We desperately need it. Thank you very much.

And that concludes public comment on this item.

All right, so back to the board on this. We need to adopt this, so I'll take a motion to adopt this resolution.

So moved. Second.

Okay, so a motion from Supervisor Hartman, a second from Supervisor Lee. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed? Motion passed unanimously. All right, now would you go ahead and read the resolution to the record.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, as noted previously, joining us in person today, we have Steve Wienhanger and Helene Schneider. Now go ahead and read the resolution. Whereas the state of California has identified the protection and restoration of biodiversity as a critical priority, including a statewide goal of conserving at least 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030, recognizing that healthy natural and working landscapes are essential to climate resilience, food security, and human well-being. And whereas protecting and enhancing biodiversity is vital to the long-term sustainability of Santa Barbara County because diverse ecosystems and ecological connectivity help reduce wildfire risk, safeguard water quality, and provide natural carbon storage.

And whereas Santa Barbara County is located along California's central coast, a unique Excuse me, biogeographic region where northern and southern ecosystems converge, creating exceptional biological richness across oak, woodlands, coastal sage shrub, chaparral, agricultural lands, wetlands, and riparian corridors that support native, rare, threatened, and endemic species.

And whereas the county's marine and coastal environments, including kelp forests, rocky intertidal zones, and offshore waters are among the most productive ecosystems in the world and support marine biodiversity and economic species such as whales, sea otters, and seabirds. And whereas these natural systems provide essential benefits to local communities, including clean air and water, climate regulation, wildfire and erosion protection, agricultural productivity, recreation, and cultural and educational opportunities, reflecting the county's long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship through its plans, policies, and partnerships. Now, therefore, be it hereby ordered and resolved that this Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara does hereby recognize and celebrate the extraordinary biodiversity of the region and affirms the importance of continued stewardship of the county's natural and working lands and coastal waters for the benefit of current and future generations, past and adopted today.

Thank you, Chair Nelson, and thank you, Supervisor Hartman, for bringing this forward. My name's Helene Schneider. I serve as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and with me is Steve Winhanger, our Executive Director. I also want to thank you. We were with you just a few weeks ago to acknowledge our 100th anniversary of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. I want to thank Supervisor Lee for bringing that forward, and all of you for supporting that. I'll be really brief because you heard a lot of the components here, but what I really want To emphasize with this resolution is just as the Botanic Garden for 100 years have been promoting native plants and biodiversity, you can't have the right plant and the right insect and the right bird interact with each other if they're not around, not just in Mission Canyon, but throughout the region.

We need the partnerships of both nonprofits, our community, everyday people, and local governments and state and federal governments to come together to promote biodiversity in a variety of ways. And so I want to get to Chair Nelson, your point that yes, this is a little different than maybe some other resolutions, but I think what it does is bring hope and ideas and where people can come together on a regional basis to really make an impact beyond your own front or backyard, but into the grander region itself. So you're a very important part of that as the county. Quiama is a great example of a remote area that we are restoring an area into to bring native plants back into an area that's been degraded and we're already seeing some amazing results.

Closer to home piece up in Elings Park or even the 1200 block of State Street. You could see that and we want to expand in other areas throughout the county of where we can do those restoration pieces. I want to acknowledge the 45 plus organizations throughout the region who have come together here and you heard a bunch of them here today. And we really could not do it without those kind of partnerships, and we want to include the county and cities all across the county as part of that connection together. So thank you very much for passing this unanimously today. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Schneider. Supervisor Kaps and then Supervisor Hartman.

Well, thank you. I really appreciate this resolution and biodiversity. It's, you know, so many issues that we deal with up here are kind of Massive issues that confront us in our face and just to stop and think about biodiversity, to think about that seed bank at the garden. I'm just grateful that there are scientists, that there are advocates, that there are people working in these 30 organizations that are Frankly, thinking about things that I don't think about all the time, seeds and nature and the different types of insects that we really depend on as a society, as a planet. So I'm just grateful to stop and think. And I think that is a purpose of resolutions, is to acknowledge the work that goes on often unseen.

So I'm grateful. Thank you.

Thank you, Supervisor Capps. Supervisor Hartman.

Thank you very much to all the organizations who brought this forward. I just wanted to emphasize that Santa Barbara County really is a hotspot for biodiversity and we're in the midst right now of the sixth great extinction. And it's being caused by human activities. And so we are in a really precious place. Not only where North and South meet, but the transverse mountains and the extreme wet and dry means that the species here have adapted to live in very extreme conditions. And they teach us a lot about about how to survive and there's lots of lots of things we can learn but we can talk about utilitarian what do they benefit us but I think ultimately our job is to care for creation our job is to recognize that We want to keep a healthy ecosystem.

So I was intrigued when I heard that a report on biodiversity would be a good thing. I wonder if the Biodiversity Working Group, if we could work. What we're ultimately looking for, we're involved now in our open space element, which is to look at our county and public properties. But then we're leading up into our conservation element, and that's where we will embed principles into policies that are enforceable. So we need to prepare for that, and I think the report would be a good strategy. And I wrote my PhD dissertation on the Endangered Species Act. My interest in biodiversity goes back many decades.

So, I'm here to help and I'm grateful for all the work that you're doing because we live in a very precious place and we're the trustees. Thank you.

Thank you. Chair Nelson, Supervisor Hartman, that's the whole point of the Biodiversity Group. Not, of course, to have celebratory items such as this, but to be partners with you when you have these issues come up and bring the expertise together so it work with your staff and with you in creating policies that can work in a regional way. So, thank you for bringing that up.

Thank you. And I would note that in all the advisory committees and things the county has, we don't really have one on biodiversity. So I would welcome whatever input we can get. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank

you. Thank you. Thank you. All right, Madam Clerk, our third and final honorary resolution today. Would you please go ahead and read that into record? We've already adopted this one, so we can go ahead and read that fully.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, administrative item number three is sponsored by Supervisor Lavinino. It is to adopt a resolution celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society. And joining us in person today, we have Dr. Desiree Redis, Fran Savariano, and Cliff Solomon. If you can please make your way to the podium. And I will go ahead and read the resolution.

Whereas the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society marks a momentous milestone in 2026, celebrating 100 years of providing world-class symphonic music to the residents of Santa Maria Valley. And whereas since its inception, the Philharmonic has served as the city's professional community orchestra, elevating the cultural landscape and fostering a deep appreciation for the performing arts through its dedication to musical excellence.

And whereas the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society has remained steadfast in its mission to enrich the community, not only through its majestic concert season, but also through vital educational outreach programs that inspire the next generation of local musicians and music lovers. And whereas for a century, this vulnerable institution has acted as a cornerstone of our county's identity, bringing together diverse audiences to experience the transformative power of live orchestral performances. And whereas the success of the Philharmonic is a testament to the tireless dedication of its musicians, board of directors, staff, and the generous patrons who have ensured that the sound of Santa Maria continues to resonate. Now, therefore, be it hereby ordered and resolved that this Board of Supervisors honors the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society's centennial anniversary, celebrating 100 years of artistic achievement and cultural enrichment, passed and adopted today.

My name is Desiree K. Reedus. I am one of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society Symphony board members. And behind me are the other distinguished members of the board, Phil, Christian, and Fran. And I'll have them say a few words afterwards. On behalf of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society Symphony, we graciously thank you and feel honored for this acknowledgement. The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society has provided the gift of music through community engagement and outreach for the last 100 years.

It took the time, effort, and sacrifice of many, a village, to keep this organization going and relevant for the last 100 years. We thank all those people who have helped fulfill Harmonic, including those that have passed on. We want to thank all of our donors, community advocates, board members, volunteers, staff, and supporters for their time and effort dedicated to the Santa Maria Philharmonic.

We thank our wonderful musicians for their great musical talents gift, as well as providing musical education and their expertise further perpetuating the local legacy and history of great musical entertainment in this community. We want to thank all of our wonderful conductors, past and present, including our wonderful current maestro, Michael Nowak. Last but not least, we want to thank the Santa Barbara County of Supervisors for your leadership, your foresight, and vision for recognizing the importance of supporting the arts in this community. With your continued support and interest, we hope to go on for another hundred years. Thank you.

Thank you.

I'll just add to that that the power of music to unify our community and heal is irrefutable. And I thank you so much for supporting our mission. Nothing brings me greater joy than to make this music accessible to as many in our community as humanly possible. So thank you very much.

Thank you.

I would just like to invite everybody to come to our concerts. We have them throughout the year. We are at the library. We had a wonderful meeting last night talking about some of the Thank you, Mr. Solomon. Thank you. Everything's been said. By the way, kids come free to all our concerts and thank you very much. We really appreciate the recognition. Thank you.

All right, we're going to go to item A4. That was inadvertently pulled, so we just need to read that in record and adopt that.

Thank you, Chair Nelson and members of the board. Administrative item number four is an honorary resolution sponsored by Supervisor Nelson. It is to adopt a resolution proclaiming the week of May 17, 2026 through May 23, 2026 as National Public Works Week in Santa Barbara County. And again, as Chair Nelson indicated, this item was pulled inadvertently, so we just need a motion to adopt this resolution.

So since it's my motion, I'll make a motion that we approve this resolution. Second by Supervisor Lavanino. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passed unanimously. Okay, the next item of business, we'll go in order here, will be item A18. And that's been pulled by the public. Clerk, will you please read that into the record?

Yes, thank you, Chair Nelson and members of the board. Administrative item number 18 is from the County Health Department. It is to consider recommendations regarding acceptance of donations to Santa Barbara County Animal Services, SBCAS, from the Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, SBCACF, in the amount of $118,920. And there is a forfeits vote required on this item, and we do have one member from the public requesting to speak on this item. We are going to Zoom with Dr. Lee Heller. Lee?

Good morning, Chair Nelson and members of the board. Thank you for taking this item up. I wanted to thank Dr. Hamami and the health department staff for their assistance last year when we put on Tales of Hope, which enabled us to raise the kind of money that is gonna really help animal services at this difficult budget moment. And I also want to let you know that the Animal Care Foundation is stepping up and we're doing it again. So September 20th, 2026 at Rancho La Patera Stow House, we will again have John Corbett and Bo Derrick. And this time we'll also have Shorty Rossi, who is an animal advocate who's been on Animal Planet. The goal is to help the animals and the people of Santa Barbara County. And there's information online that we're happy to share.

So thank you for your support and for helping us to help you to close these budget gaps. Take care.

Thank you, Dr. Hiller.

And that concludes public comment on this

item. All right, I'll go ahead and get a motion on this item to approve it.

So moved.

Second. Okay, motion by Hartman, second by Lee. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes unanimously. All right, so the next item of business is actually going to be 829. We actually already adopted 829, but We had a public speaker who wanted to speak on this item, and so we're going to go ahead and allow the public to comment on 829. And I believe we have one speaker, and I've allocated two minutes for them to speak on this.