Meeting Summary
This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details, so verify against the official recording and the transcript.
At a glance
Staff Presentation and Budget Update
- Staff presented a potential $20 million budget gap for the next fiscal year, attributing it to lower discretionary revenue growth compared to expense growth.
- The presentation detailed sources of funds, including increased property tax revenues, reclassified CalFresh monies, and a $2 million increase from IHSS shifts.
- Staff outlined recommended uses of funds that result in a balanced budget with a slight negative ongoing balance and a positive one-time balance.
Board Deliberation on Budget Allocations
- Supervisors discussed the sustainability of the budget, noting that deferred maintenance has led to higher emergency repair costs and that court security is subsidized by approximately $625,000 annually.
- The board agreed to allocate $360,000 for libraries, split equally between per-capita distribution and a fund to prevent closures or service reductions in small branch libraries.
- Funds were allocated for economic strategic planning ($85,000) and Isla Vista Community Services District office space ($9,000) after discussions regarding scope and precedent.
Consensus and Final Adjustments
- Staff presented a consolidated chart reflecting the board’s consensus on ongoing and one-time funding adjustments.
- One-time funding allocations included specific set-asides for Goleta Beach, court security, Ivy Foot Patrol, and juvenile probation officers.
- Additional one-time funds were designated for child welfare services, foster care, and full funding of the AOT program.
Motion and Vote
- A motion was made and seconded to approve Items A through F of the County Recommended Operational Plan 2017-2018.
- The motion to approve the operational plan passed.
Successor Agency to the Former Santa Barbara County Redevelopment Agency
- The Clerk of the Board read into the record the hearing to consider recommendations for the fiscal year 2017-2018 recommended budget for the successor agency.
- A motion was made and seconded to approve Items A and B of the successor agency budget.
- The motion to approve the successor agency budget passed.
Closed Session
- The board reported considering anticipated litigation, performance evaluations for the County Executive Officer and department heads, and labor negotiations for unrepresented managers.
- The board appointed Von Do Reynoso as the Public Health Director, who is scheduled to begin work on August 7th.
Full summary
Agenda Item: General Public Comment (Items Not on the Agenda)
- Public comment was opened for matters not currently on the board’s agenda. Speakers addressed several topics:
- One speaker requested a "JAWS chart" (Justification of Annual Workload and Staffing) to illustrate long-term financial impacts, citing concerns about state pension obligations and potential future deficits. Staff responded that a previous gap chart had not been updated and committed to providing a better five-year forecast and gap chart in the fall.
- A representative from the Santa Maria Police Department requested continued funding for the North County Jail, stating that its closure would negatively impact community safety and increase the burden on regional law enforcement agencies.
- A representative from the City of Santa Maria requested that the board prioritize public safety funding, noting that the reduction of the Foster Road Jail would impact multiple law enforcement agencies.
- A representative from Colab argued that the county’s financial struggles were disconnected from broader economic indicators, urged the board to reconsider regulatory decisions affecting local industries, and suggested privatization of staff to address pension costs.
- A library advocate expressed gratitude for the board’s consideration of additional library funding and discussed ongoing deliberations with city councils regarding the administration of branch libraries.
- Board members responded by clarifying that the Sheriff controls budget choices regarding jail operations, noting the existence of a $9 million pre-hiring fund for the new North County Jail, and defending the process of taking public comment before board deliberations.
Agenda Item: Staff Presentation and Budget Update
- Staff provided a summary of the budget process and presented a slide showing a potential budget gap of approximately $20 million for the next fiscal year, attributed to discretionary revenue growth rates being lower than expense growth. Staff confirmed the assumption of 5.5% growth in assessed valuation (AV) for the budget. The Assessor reported that the current property tax increase was 5.64%.
- Staff presented a chart detailing sources and uses of funds, including:
- Increased property tax revenues by approximately $1.5 million.
- Reclassification of CalFresh monies from one-time to ongoing.
- Availability of $181,000 in ongoing contingencies and $319,000 in one-time contingencies.
- A $2 million increase due to the shift in IHSS (In-Home Supportive Services) resulting from the Governor’s revised budget.
- Funding for a full year of the AOT (Alternative to Incarceration) or lower slot program.
- Total remaining sources of approximately $3.7 million.
- Recommended uses resulting in a balanced budget with a negative $5,500 ongoing balance and a positive $454 one-time balance.
- Staff requested that board members speak slowly during deliberations to allow staff to accurately record allocations in the live spreadsheet.
Agenda Item: Board Deliberation on Budget Allocations
- The board deliberated on the allocation of remaining discretionary funds, focusing on ongoing and one-time categories.
- Ongoing Funding and Maintenance: Supervisors discussed the sustainability of the county’s budget, noting that deferred maintenance has led to higher emergency repair costs. Proposals included moving ongoing funding items to deferred maintenance and retaining one-time funds for specific projects. Staff explained that court security funding is not directly tied to specific Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions but depends on staffing models and flexibility. Staff noted that the county has subsidized court security by approximately $625,000 annually over the last five years and indicated that partnering with unions to save jobs through budgeting assumptions was not feasible for this cycle.
- Library Funding: The board debated the allocation of one-time funds for county libraries. A compromise was reached to split the funds 50/50, with half allocated per capita and half held for preventing closures or service reductions in small branch libraries. The board agreed to a total allocation of $360,000 for libraries, split equally between per-capita distribution and a fund for preventing closures/reductions in small libraries. Staff confirmed that zone administrators would be directed in contract negotiations to use the latter portion to support small branch libraries.
- Economic Strategic Planning and CSD Office Space: The board discussed allocating funds for county economic strategic planning to engage consultants and convene stakeholders. After discussion regarding scope and precedent, the board agreed to allocate $85,000 for economic strategic planning. Regarding the $9,000 allocation for Isla Vista Community Services District (CSD) office space, the board agreed to include the allocation after discussion regarding precedent and long-term resource savings.
Consensus and Final Adjustments
- Staff presented a consolidated chart reflecting the board’s consensus. Key adjustments included:
- Ongoing Funding: Reclassification of CalFresh to ongoing, IHSS impact, and child welfare expansion for two social workers.
- One-Time Funding:
- Goleta Beach set-aside: $567,000.
- Increase to contingencies: $481,189.
- Court security set-aside: $300,000.
- Ivy Foot Patrol set-aside: $475,000.
- County Libraries per capita increase: $180,000.
- Library hour reduction prevention: $180,000.
- Two juvenile probation officers: $259,076.
- County economic strategic planning: $85,000.
- IV CSD office space: $9,000.
- Child Welfare Services additional two FTEs: $175,667.
- Foster care additional 1.75 FTEs: $84,068.
- AOT program full funding: $275,000.
Motion and Vote
- A motion was made to approve Items A through F of the County Recommended Operational Plan 2017-2018. The motion was seconded.
Vote Outcome
- The motion to approve Items A through F of the County Recommended Operational Plan 2017-2018 passed.
Agenda Item: Successor Agency to the Former Santa Barbara County Redevelopment Agency
- The Clerk of the Board read into the record the hearing to consider recommendations for the fiscal year 2017-2018 recommended budget for the County of Santa Barbara as the successor agency to the former County of Santa Barbara Redevelopment Agency.
Motion and Vote
- A motion was made to approve Items A and B of the successor agency budget. The motion was seconded.
Vote Outcome
- The motion to approve Items A and B of the successor agency budget passed.
Closed Session Report
- The board reconvened from closed session. The Clerk of the Board reported that the board had considered: 1. Conference with legal counsel for anticipated litigation. 2. Public employee performance evaluations for the County Executive Officer and 12 department heads. 3. Conference with labor negotiators for unrepresented managers and executives. 4. Public employee appointment for the Public Health Director.
Decision
- Through a unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors appointed Von Do Reynoso as the Public Health Director. Assistant CEO Terri Nessage provided a brief biography of Dr. Reynoso, noting her experience in behavioral health and public health leadership. Dr. Reynoso is scheduled to begin work on August 7th.
Adjournment and Reconvening
- The chair thanked Ms. Topliff for her interim work. The chair then adjourned the meeting and announced that the body would reconvene on Tuesday, June 20th, in Santa Barbara.