Board of Supervisors — 2020-10-06

You.

I will call to order the October 6, 2020 meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. Would the clerk please call the roll?

Mr. Williams?

Here.

Ms. Hartman? Here. Mr. Adams?

Here

Mr. Lavinino?

Here

Chair Hart?

The next item of business is approval of the minutes from the September 22nd and the September 29th special meeting. Is there any discussion? I'll now entertain a motion. So moved.

Second.

Motion's been made and seconded. Any discussion? Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll?

Mr. Williams? Aye. Ms. Hartman? Aye. Mr. Adam?

Aye

Mr. Lavinino?

Aye

Chair Hart?

Aye

Motion passes unanimously

CEO Miyasato, is there a CEO report today?

Yes there is Chair Hart and board members. This week is National Fire Prevention Week. There's a resolution on your honorary resolutions today and so with us we have Chief Hartwig to talk a little bit more about fire prevention.

Chief Hartwig welcome thank you for being here

Thank you Chair, Ms. Miyasato, members of the Board. I'm going to make it brief this morning but wanted to give you a little bit of history. Calvin Coolidge in 1925 proclaimed this week every year Fire Prevention Week. So we've been doing it for a long time, and I'm reminded this year especially that the prevention tips don't always align locally the very best.

It's serving up fire safety in the kitchen this year. That's the national campaign and as much as I wish it was Wildfire Safety Week and month and year every year, it's not We can do that as well. But kitchen fires are the number one leading cause of injury, death and destruction In the country annually and unattended cooking fires are the leading cause of that. So we wanted to draw everybody's attention to that specifically this year there's great information out there if you whatever your preferred Google search is but the NFPA which leads our efforts every year has a great information nfpa.org, of course svcfire.com Also has great information as well. So we wanna encourage everybody this year, especially as we start getting into holiday cooking to be very especially vigilant as we do that.

And then if I could, as I leave you just talk specifically about the need to be extra vigilant this year for wildfire safety until we get that first rain. And we're going to be pressed this year and so our hearts go out to all those who have suffered this year in a historic fire season. We're not out of the woods yet, and let's be safe until then. You've seen the press releases, we've had two just recently where we found the cause of two of the local fires we've had and they were both careless. One was a target shooting and one was simply clearing brush off their land and creating a spark. And it's so dry right now especially at this time of year until we get that first rain in the wet season here in Santa Barbara County, thank you. Miss CEO and board for recognizing fire safety week.

And I'm here to answer any questions. Thank you, Chief. And I see we have

Kelly Hubbard too.

Thank you. Good morning, Supervisors and Chair. Just a great opportunity to remind everyone about ReadySBC.org. And so information about preparedness and readiness on that website As well as where you can register to receive notifications from local government agencies if there was to be a wildfire or any other emergency of any significance. And so, if you go to that website readysbc.org, you can sign up, register for alerts. Also, if you signed up quite awhile ago I'd encourage residents to go back.

You can re-login, check your contact information, make sure you have the right cell phone number in there, the right email address. If you've moved update your address those types of things. If you've registered through text by Nixle, again I encourage you to go to the website and put in your additional information because when you register through Nixle that's only your zip code and we don't get your other pieces of information on how to get a hold of you.

Thank you for that. That's so important folks can't be contacted they can't be alerted. Supervisor Williams?

Well I'm off theme also this year though and have like many residents have wildfire on the brain So I just wanted to ask you, we've had some sundowner events. I want you to just tell us about the upstaffing that you've been doing during those events so that people understand that we're more prepared than ever. We've gotten off lightly this year thus far but we're not counting on that.

Yeah thank you for the question Supervisor. On any planned fire event and I say planned fire event but fire weather specifically as we are noticed out of I'd like to funding for us to upstaff in the state responsibility areas, which are really the whole front country, the valley and then the back country as well. So we have a lot of resources available to us. We position those strategically. Sometimes those are resources from out of the area. Very often they're our own operational area resources not just from the county fire department but from Carpinteria, Montecito, Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Vandenberg and then Santa Maria as well.

Supervisor Hartman.

Thank you very much. I just wanted to say thank you to all the firefighters, this has already been an amazingly demanding season and just to remind people our practices in daily life are really important things we can do the rest of the year we can't now. I think we're quite educated on defensible space around our homes. We have a new ordinance we approved this year early last year for 10 foot right-of-way clearance But I think the next phase of education is people understanding what some of the causes, the behaviors that they engage in. And they're not unlawful it's just you gotta think and what the potential repercussions are and liabilities.

I serve on the Fire Safe Council Board and we do have a piece on the website that looks at the past fires and what the causes are. At some point in the near future I hope to pull those out and make an educational piece because I can't emphasize how important this is. I had a neighbor who announced she was going to be target shooting and then I looked and said maybe you shouldn't do that, none of us knew so this is really really significant I believe thank you and I know your starting it takes awhile after the investigations to find out what really was the cause And that kind of gets buried and our chief has been trying to focus more attention on that, and I appreciate it.

Thank you Supervisor Hartman any other comments

Mr.. Chair

yes supervisor Adam

Yeah I was just telling Supervisor Lavinino, you know, I don't know how many rounds I've fired around dry grass personally. Certainly in the thousands, tens of thousands of rounds and I've never seen anything like that and it always, I always wonder if somebody that gets, you know there seems like there's an inordinate amount of fires that get attributed to shooting and I just wonder if they weren't really smoking When they were out shooting and dropped an actual ash on the ground because I just never seen anything like it. And of course, I don't smoke while I'm shooting so maybe that's why I never light a fire.

Thank you Supervisor Adam. Any other comments? Is this at the end of your report CEO Miyasato?

Yes, it's the end of the report.

Okay. Madam Clerk are there any announcements or changes to our agenda today?

Chair Hart and members of the board, yes. I have a couple quick announcements this morning. First, I'd just like to remind members of the public of our alternative method of public comment for our board meetings. If you turn to page two of our agenda today if you'd like to make a public comment on an item on today's agenda or general public comment please call 805-568-2240 state your name your phone number in which item you'd like to speak on and we will call you at the appropriate time I'd like to remind the public to please make every effort to be available and mute all streaming devices once it is your turn to speak. And that number will be scrolling on the top of your screen momentarily.

Additionally, I have a couple announcements and changes to our agenda today. Administrative item number 15 is from County Council. It is to consider recommendations regarding an agreement for professional legal services with Rutten and Tucker, LLP for eminent domain proceedings in litigation. And there is a four-fifths vote required on this item. And we have a slight revision to Recommendation A to remove the County of Santa Barbara and replace with the Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. This should read as follows, Recommendation A approve, ratify and authorize The chair to execute the agreement for professional legal services between the Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and Attorney Douglas Dennington of the law firm Rutten & Tucker LLP from September 10th 2020 through June 30th 2022 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $150,000.

Additionally I have an announcement on Administrative Item A17 from County Council It is to consider recommendations regarding a revenue agreement to provide legal services between the County of Santa Barbara and Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment Beacon. And we have a request from staff to withdraw this item on today's agenda. Additionally, uh, we have a request from the department to withdraw departmental item number two.

This is from Public Works, Board of Directors, Flood Control and Water Conservation District and General Services. It is a hearing to consider recommendations regarding a resolution of necessity for a temporary construction easement for the Lower Mission Creek APN 037-245-017 number 003784 owned by Reginald E. Drew Jr., in the 1st district, and there's a 4th vote on this item as well.

And as noted earlier staff request withdrawal of this item and all of our previously mentioned changes to today's agenda have been distributed to the board and made available to the public online.

Thank you Madam Clerk at this time Supervisor Williams has a brief announcement

well on Sunday September 6th We lost a son of the county family, Nicholas Nick Harrow lost his life due to injuries from a tragic vehicle accident. He was 23 years old. Nick's parents are both long time county employees. His mother Lori has been a county employee since 1999 and currently manages the Child Welfare Services Division of Social Services. That's a group of folks I consider heroes.

Nick's dad, Bill has worked for the county since the year 2000 and is currently a maintenance leader in public works. Nick was young, adventurous and brave and had a big heart. He grew up in the community of Orcutt attending local schools and exploring any parks, hills and hidden trails he could find. As a child, he loved nothing more than to ride his bike or scooter with his friends through the neighborhood building bike ramps dreaming of his future and enjoying life.

Nick loved the outdoors. He loved to hunt and fish almost every day after work and on weekends he could be found fishing with his friends on local lakes and waterways. He cherished annual fishing trips with his father brother and other family members. Nick worked as a HVAC technician who are Foot soldiers of our energy efficient future. He was dedicated to his job and often said he would like to one day buy the company from the owner when he retired.

He also dreamed of purchasing land and building his own home on a farm. In addition to his dad, Bill, and mom, Lori, Nick is survived by his siblings Anthony and Ariana His grandmother Sharon, his uncles and aunts Eduardo and Gabriella, Kenneth and Jennifer John and Debbie and Fred and Nellie as well as numerous cousins. An outdoor memorial celebration of Nick's life was held on October 3rd in Orkut.

His family will treasure all the memories big and small from the joy Nick brought to those around him. I know that we all feel a heartfelt sense of loss and sympathy When any person that comes from the county family passes away, and that we reach out in our hearts for Bill and Lori and all of the Harrell family. And for Nick's many friends, and ask that we adjourn today in memory of Nick.

Thank you, Supervisor Williams. Our condolences to the Harrell family. Which brings us to our next item on is approval of the administrative agenda. Do any board members wish to request, to pull any items on the administrative agenda? I think we have already requested poll A1, A9, A11, A21 and A22. Are there others? All right are there any requests from the public beyond those?

Chair Hart, members of the board. Yes we have requests as previously mentioned on A1 and A21. Okay

thank you. Would the clerk please read item A1 into the record?

Chair Hart, members of the board, administrative item number one is sponsored by Supervisor Williams it is to adopt a resolution proclaiming the second Monday of October 2020 as Indigenous People's Day in Santa Barbara County and we have Kenneth Kahn requesting to speak on this item.

Good morning. Can everybody hear me?

Yes, we can. Thank you, Chairman

Kahn. Excellent. Good morning, Chairman Hart and members of the board. Thank you for making it possible for us to take part in this hearing remotely and safely. I am Kenneth Kahn, chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Thank you so much for recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day, and thank you for identifying the contributions of all Chumash people.

Santa Barbara County encompasses a large portion of Chumash Aboriginal Territory. Today our neighbors and our friends walk where our ancestors once walked. We enjoy the same beautiful coastlines our elders once fished and lush hillsides our elders hunted and gathered. As most of you know The history of this land was not always peace and beauty. Chumash are people of perseverance from first contact our ancestors endured the Spanish period Mexican period and dark termination policies of the American period today indigenous people across the nation still suffer from the impact of colonization lands totally lost or reduced to small reservations Native American history improperly represented in schools.

Serious inequities in Indian Territory that are the result of extreme poverty like in a third world country your recognition of the many contributions and challenges of native people is good medicine and it is the healing that we need. The Chumash people are still here today and we will continue to be here for time immemorial I thank you for taking the time to honor the indigenous people of our community, and I hope you all have a great day. Thank you so much.

Thank you so

much Chairman Kahn.

Supervisor Williams?

I just wanted to thank Chairman Kahn for highlighting this. I've always felt even before I came to the board that this is an important day to commemorate and sponsor this resolution in the legislature and now here. Because I do think that it's relevant for today to remember our history, both its good and its bad, and should affect how we relate with one another, the empathy and understanding that we try to bring in relating with one another.

Thank you, Supervisor Williams.

The next item on the administrative agenda is Item A-9. Would the clerk please read that item into the record?

Chair Hart and members of the board, Administrative Item Number 9 is from Behavioral Wellness. It is to consider recommendations regarding a service agreement with Crestwood Behavioral Health Inc., Champion Healing Center Mental Health Rehabilitation Center MHRC Fiscal Years 2020 through 2024.

I think Supervisor Lavagnino, you asked to pull this?

Thank you Mr. Chair. I did and I just wanted to highlight this. I think one of my first conversations with Dr. Glaghorn when she got here was her speaking about her vision to bring IMD beds to Santa Barbara County and for the public these facilities provide assessment diagnosis treatment supportive services to people in crisis We've had a history of having to send people in probably the time of crisis in their life and their family lives. We've had to send them to Kern, Shasta and Santa Clara counties for treatment.

I just wanted to highlight today appreciate Dr. Gleghorn's vision. This approach to treatment with tiered now that we're going A more tiered approach to treatment, I think that's an approach that's more conducive to better outcomes for the patient and also much more cost efficient for the county. I also want to recognize that a vision also needs guidance. And so I want to thank CEO Miyasato and Terry Mosnisch for their guidance in moving this forward.

And also a vision needs expert legal advice. And so I want to thank County Council, Mr. Gazzone and all of your team and also the team from General Services. This was a huge undertaking to make this happen and the county's in a better place today. And I think all those families who have people in their family that are struggling with mental illness, this is a huge victory today and a huge step forward into progressing into the future. So just want to thank all those people.

Thank you very much for highlighting this item, Supervisor Labanino. This is a really important moment and I see that Dr. Gleghorn is available. Dr. Gleghorn please would you tell us more about this important project?

Certainly. I want to echo Supervisor Labanino's thanks to all the county partners that have worked with us to make this possible. It has been a long journey, and we are ready to begin services this month. We are going to be bringing the number of clients who are in far-flung counties at other MHRC facilities back home with the hope that being closer to their families and local services and local housing resources, et cetera, that they'll be able to become more independent and return into the community functioning well and with the support of our resources. So again, thank you to all who have contributed to this progress and we look forward to opening.

Thank you Dr. Glegorna. Thank you for your leadership on this really important issue without your persistence and commitment and determination this day wouldn't be possible so we really appreciate that. Any other comments? Okay,

let's go to Supervisor Williams. I hope this is something that the public realizes is a struggle even before Dr. Glaghorn got here. This has been a discussion for 20 years. And to see the county make so much progress on adequately caring for folks, mentally ill folks. It's really inspiring and it's a sea change.

I know that's a view for everybody on the board.

Chair Hart, members of the board, administrative item number 11 is from community services. It is to consider recommendations regarding the California Department of Conservation local and regional planning grant program, TerraCount.

Supervisor Adam?

Yeah, my main problem is in the summary text. It's summarized by the summary text point number four develop an integrated natural and working lands component to the county's 2030 Climate Action Plan. I think that that is unnecessary in the extreme and will probably be misguided and misused be detrimental to everybody that's trying to work the land and understands what they're doing. And the people that try to put that together undoubtedly won't, so...

So why don't we have a separate motion for this item? So Supervisor Adam Kim. Vote against it. Would somebody like to make this motion on A11?

Chair Hart I move approval

Okay, motion's been made. Is there a second? Second. And seconded. Any more discussion? Would the clerk please call the roll?

Mr. Williams?

Aye.

Ms. Hartman? Aye. Mr. Adams?

No.

Mr. Lavinino?

Abstain.

Chair Hart?

Aye

Motion passes 3-1-1.

Thank you. The next item is item A21 would the clerk please read that item into the record

Chair Hart and members of the board, administrative item number 21 is from fire. It is to consider recommendations regarding an acceptance of a non-cash vehicle donation of $57,000 from the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. And there's a four fist vote required on this item and we have one request to speak and that's Susan Petrovich.

Thank you Ms. Petrovich for being involved in the firefighters alliance and for this wonderful contribution. Look forward to hearing your comments.

Good morning. This is Susan Petrovich. Can you all hear me?

Yes, we can. Thank you. Welcome.

I am the president of the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance. The alliance is a non-profit charitable organization formed with one goal to raise money to purchase equipment and services requested by fire department crews of the City of Santa Barbara and the County of Santa Barbara. With streamed budgets our services provide state-of-the-art equipment That wouldn't otherwise be included in a budget.

But we don't just go out and buy the equipment, the firefighters tell us precisely what they need and the fire chiefs must approve the appropriation. Ironically even before COVID hit, we had purchased for the Fire Department washable personal protective gear for the firefighters because they never know exactly what they will encounter when they go to a scene This is lightweight, washable but designed for safety.

The services that we provide also include confidential counseling that doesn't go through any governmental agency so it's completely private no information goes into the firefighters file and it's a service for their families as well everyone has been under a lot of strain but our firefighters and their families have borne a lot more strain than I think any of us.

We're here today to ask you to approve Our donation of this truck. We first purchased the remote command center trailer to serve as an office with laptop stations and places that a table where the crews can sit around and discuss strategy otherwise just basically have an office right there at the fire or the incident if it's not a fire. It's a huge trailer though, and it needs a honking big truck to haul it so that's what this truck will do And we request that you approve it. Thank you, and I'll answer any questions that you might have.

Thank you Ms. Petrovich and thank you again for your leadership with the Firefighters Alliance. We're really grateful and I know that our first responders and firefighters are very appreciative of this additional asset. Supervisor Williams did you have a comment? Okay.

Just wanted to give my personal thanks to all the folks at the Alliance that work to raise this money and that would be Do it to make sure that we all are safer. Thank you. Thank

you again, Miss Petrovich. Are there any questions? All right, thank you on

Chair Hart and members of the board administrative item number 22 is from General Services. It is to consider recommendations regarding the Buellton Senior Center 25 year lease agreement file number 999 and this is in the third district.

Supervisor Hartman.

Thank you, Chair Hart. I just wanted to thank the fire department and especially the Fire Chief and the staff at General Services who have facilitated this agreement. It is a long-term lease for the Bealton Senior Center that enables them to Raise funds and do planning and renovation. They are a major community, the heart of the community in Buellton, and they provide meals for many, many grateful people. And especially during this time of COVID they have been indispensable so very appreciative of this and thank everybody who made it possible.

Thank you Supervisor Harmon. Do we need a motion for the withdrawal of item A-17 and D-2?

Chair Hart and members of the board, if the maker of the motion on the balance could just add that to their motion. All

right. And could we get a motion for the balance of the consent calendar or the administrative agenda? So moved. Motion has been made.

So we have A15 with the recommendation A slight change from Santa Barbara County to flood control as the clerk read into the record and then A17 withdrawal so I would second that motion

Okay, motion's been made and seconded. Any discussion? Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll?

Mr. Williams?

Aye.

Ms. Hartman? Aye. Mr. Adams?

Aye

Mr. Lavinino?

Aye

Chair Hart?

Aye

Motion passes unanimously

Which brings us to the public comment section of the agenda It's time for members of the public to speak to the board on matters that are not on our agenda Madam clerk are there any requests to speak on items not on today's agenda

Chair Hart, members of the board we have no request to speak in general public comment.

Thank you which brings us to department item number one. Madam Clerk would you please read that item into the record?

Yes and chair Hart members of the board prior to

Is there a motion to withdraw this item so moved motions been made second and seconded any discussion Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll?

Mr. Williams.

Aye.

Ms. Hartman. Aye. Mr. Adam.

Aye!

Mr. Lavagnino.

Aye

Chair Hart.

Aye

motion passes unanimously

thank you and that brings us to department item number one would you please read that item into the record

chair heart members of the board Department departmental item number one is from the county executive office it is a hearing COVID-19 update.

Welcome Dr. DiRenoso.

Good morning chair, members of the board. Today's briefing topics will include the usual Santa Barbara County COVID-19 data and an in depth look at the blueprint for a safer economy, going over our anticipated status as well as reiterating our recent Health officer order amendment. Introducing to you in a little bit more detail the health equity metrics as well as having an in-depth briefing on the Latin X and indigenous migrant COVID-19 response task force, as per your requests in a previous meeting. And we will end with school waivers.

COVID-19 by the numbers in Santa Barbara County, we have cumulative case count of 9,319. Cumulative recovered cases 9,082 and We have 122 active cases. This means that there are still 122 infectious cases in our community. We have 23 currently hospitalized and a total of 115 deaths, which makes that death rate at 1.2%. Over the past 15 days, with the seven day rolling sum of new cases by areas. For the most part we are continuing to see decreases in the majority of our areas. We are seeing four upticks in primarily the North County.

We are seeing an increase in Santa Maria and And in the unincorporated North County South County. We are seeing an uptick in the Montecito Carpinteria area. Over the

past put that a little bit in context. We we had to last week, so it you know I only know this because, you know in elections you have to deal with a lot of statistical work. When you have an N that's almost zero then you're going to have large fluctuations and so people have looked at the numbers in South County Unincorporated all summer long either to draw their own conclusions about of a 200% drop or 100% rise. Well, when the N has fluctuated between 2 and 15 you're going to always have large rises or large falls because the sample size is so small.

That is true but I didn't want to be not transparent by stating that there was an increase With the hospitalization over the past two weeks, we see a range of census from 18 to 26 but overall beginning number to end number with no change. Per Supervisor Adams' request, I've included two slides. This is the daily hospitalized cases since April 29th through October 3rd.

And I want to point out that we are, the bulk of our high census was in the mid 80s within the early part of this summer into July and early part of August. And we are seeing a decrease in hospital census overall. This is the second new graph. This describes the COVID deaths by week of death, so we have the rest line describing the cumulative deaths due to COVID in our county and that stands at I just shared 115 and with a blue bar graphs below showing the number of deaths by the week that it Occurred and so we did see in also at midsummer in July 19 a 12 deaths and early part of August 11 deaths. Those are the single highest day weeks with deaths.

Mr. Chair,

Supervisor Adam.

Okay, Dr. Del Ranoso I'm going to be bipolar with you. I love your chart on page six. I think that's a fantastic representation of how we've gone Over the curve we and and I don't know if we flattened the curve or the curve took care of itself but it is what it is, and there it is graphically represented in front of us. And The only real problem I have is that we started about a month late.

And maybe there wasn't any cases. Is April 29th the first case date?

You know, Supervisor Adam I am not sure about that. I know that our first case was March 15th but I don't recall when our first hospitalized case may be and that's something that I can check with our epi team

Well, I'm going to bet that that was probably a hospitalization because at that time I don't think we were doing much testing and you know speculative testing. And I think that people the way people came to our attention was they were admitted and so that may have been There may have been a few cases before that, so the curve isn't exactly complete. But it's substantially complete and I thank you for that. That's a great representation of why we should open up. You've ridden over the hard part.

The second one, I'm not a big fan of because first of all, I didn't ask for the continuous death count. And you know, I think that continuous counts are a bad metric because we don't keep track of anything in continuous counts except COVID. And so this line, you're going to constantly have to be adjusting the scale of this graph which is just going to make the bottom set of data that I wanted.

Flatter and flatter and flatter over time if you keep that line on there for the cumulative deaths. And we don't keep track of cumulative deaths from heart disease or cumulative deaths from anything else, and so I don't think we should be Looking at it that way and for these graphs. I would request that you keep them clean and Keep them on a Representation on a scale see you could make your graph if you had that thing on a 20 scale your lines on the bottom would be Much more pronounced, and you could see trends. And you'd have two tops in your line instead of having them minimized so And to that degree, I like it when it minimizes deaths. But if we're trying to display information, I don't think that's useful to have one parameter on there that nobody ever keeps track of in any other context so that it flattens the other data that we're trying to get to beyond usable recognition.

Supervisor Adam through the chair, I can certainly do that given that we do track the cumulative death on the first slide that I show. So I can definitely take off the rust color graph depicting cumulative deaths.

Yeah and then change the scale for next week's presentation to a 20 and then you're really going to see those peaks and valleys pop. Thank you.

Maybe the best way to do is to have two different charts because when you rely on the first chart with the cumulative cases and the cumulative deaths, the same problem that Supervisor Adam described happens in that instance. So thank you for that Supervisor Adam. Dr. DeRionne Poston?

Because all of the information's in the tails. That big open part in the middle doesn't mean anything.

Blueprint for a safer economy. Last week we issued an amendment, Health Officer Order 2020-12.10 to highlight that outdoor public playgrounds are permissible with guidance. We further clarified higher education as to I have the capacity to be opened indoors at 25 capacity or 100 people, whichever is less. Bars, breweries, brew pubs and distilleries if serving meals to follow the restaurant sector limits as well as wineries and tasting rooms Being allowed indoors if serving meals to restaurant sector limits. And I want to pause and really thank Assistant CEO Nancy Anderson for working with the Public Health Department in reaching out to the sectors, in making sure that these sectors understand the parameters of opening indoors.

The blueprint for a safer economy, as of October 6th we will be looking at adjusted case rates. Something that you have seen test positivity also have seen what is new that I've alluded to earlier is the health equity metric that will be effective today. I believe that the governor will be releasing the numbers At noon, as well as the targeted investment plan which all counties will have to apply or fill out by the 13th.

So this is a familiar table that you have seen with the last row being the newest, and that is the lowest healthy places index quartile test positivity rate. So in addition to the parameters for us to move to tier 3 where disease is moderate We will have to also make sure that our bottom quartile does not exceed 5.25 in the test positivity rate, and I will be going through that in more detail with these next few slides.

Health equity metric, the goal is to reduce and possibly eliminate disparities in the levels of COVID-19 transmission among county residents. It is also to improve all county COVID- 19 data reporting. The state has noted that about 33% of the demographics are missing as counties report them. So there is an increased effort to improve the reporting on race and ethnicity data, as it pertains to COVID-19 cases.

And CDPH will be posting county level data for race ethnicity for tests, cases and deaths. And I'd like to share that our team has been working on providing this data And for the next Tuesday's presentation, I will be going over the demographics for our county with regards to cases, hospitalization and deaths since March 15th. The goal of the health equity metric is also to improve testing positivity rates for the most disadvantaged communities. It will not be used to move counties back to a more restrictive tier, but it could have an impact on us moving to the less restrictive tier.

And the point is to close disparities within all counties. And by that, the counties will be required as I alluded to in the earlier slide, to submit a plan for how we spend our CDC funding on underserved communities in our county. So counties are except assessed weekly basis on Tuesdays. The county must have been in the current tier for a minimum of 3 weeks accounting must meet criteria for the less restrictive tear for prior Two consecutive weeks, this is with regards to us moving to the orange tier.

A county larger than 106,000 in population that we qualify must meet the health equity metric for the same time period and again, the targeted investment plan my department will need to file by the 13th. While we can move to a less restrictive tier towards the orange as our goal, we can be moved back to a more restrictive tier where we started the purple tier. So the county's adjusted case rate and or test positivity has fallen within a more restrictive tier for two consecutive Two consecutive weekly periods, state and local health officials will work together in an ongoing basis to assess.