Board of Supervisors — 2021-08-24

Good morning. I'll call the order, the August 24th 2021 meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk please call the roll.

Second.

Any discussion? Seeing none all in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion passes unanimously. Madam Clerk are there any announcements or changes to the agenda today?

Chair Nelson and members of the board, I just have a couple quick announcements this morning. I would like to remind the public that the Board of Supervisors meetings are being interpreted and broadcast live in Spanish. We are broadcasting our meetings in Spanish both for Cox Cable subscribers in South County as well as Comcast cable subscribers in North County. Members of the public can now view our meetings in Spanish by turning on the secondary audio programming also known as SAP or SAP under their language settings.

Lastly, I would like to remind the public who are participating in our meeting today of the board's updated methods of public participation. For the Board of Supervisors' methods of public participation and to provide public comment on general public comment or an item on the board's agenda please see page two of the board's agenda today. Members of the public can now attend meetings in person In both the Santa Maria board hearing room chambers, as well as the Santa Barbara board hearing room chambers. Please note on August 6th 2021 a new county health officer order went into effect requiring indoor mask usage. For anyone over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status. If you attend the board meeting in person, you will be required to wear a face covering or mask at all times, regardless of vaccination status individuals that would like to provide verbal public comment virtually may do so via zoom by registering in advance via the link available on page 2.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing important information about joining the virtual meeting. Once the chair has announced the item you want to comment on please join the meeting with the information provided. You will be placed on mute until it is your turn to speak. The clerk will call you by name when removed from mute you will hear a notification that your line has been unmuted If you are using a touchtone phone, you may need to press star six to unmute yourself. Again if you're using a touchtone phone, you may need to press star six to unmute yourself. Each person may address the board for up to three minutes and this is at the discretion of the chair.

If you have any questions please contact the clerk of the board's office directly at area code 805-568-2240. Again if you have any questions regarding this process please contact the clerk of the board at 805-568-2240. Thank you and that concludes my announcements today.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Chair Nelson no report this morning.

All right, thank you.

Chair Nelson and members of the board we have no requests to speak on the administrative agenda but I do have one quick announcement on Administrative 9

Okay, we'll get that opportunity when we read that item in the record. So let's go ahead and

Chair Nelson and members of the board, Administrative Item Number 6 is from the District Attorney it is to consider recommendations regarding an agreement with Journal Technologies Inc for a case management system e prosecutor

And I pulled that item and I just wanted to congratulate the DA and her office. This is very exciting to be moving in this direction.

Thank you Supervisor Hartman, and we'll take that item with the totality of all the A items so thank you. Next item is I believe item A9 excuse me

Yeah, originally I had requested to pull A4 but I had conversations with staff yesterday and I'm comfortable with that. Thank you. All right. Thank you

Supervisor Lavenino

Chair Nelson and members of the Board, Administrative Item Number 9 is from Human Resources. It is to consider recommendations regarding the reappointment and employment contract for the County Executive Officer. And as required by Government Code Section 54953C3 during administrative agenda item number nine, the board is agendized to considered a new agreement for services for the county executive officer who would provide a new annual salary of about $309,193 effective August 25th 2021.

Right, thank you Madam Clerk and I pulled this item in part because over the weekend there was a social media post that called me out for this item despite the perception that the author has a wide audience or large influence. I got a single email from a constituent and I'd like to share my response as of now I'm planning on voting to approve Chief Executive Officer Mona Miyasato's contract extension Her new salary will be $309,000 not the $450,000 that was reported on Facebook. I agree that over $300,000 of taxpayer money is a lot but I believe it is appropriate for the limited market of people in California to have the skill set that Mona possesses.

Mona leads an organization of approximately 4,300 employees, 22 departments, countless service areas and districts with a combined budget in excess of $1.3 billion. Her pay is less than her peers throughout the state and less than many of the city managers and special district directors in our county who manage a fraction of the responsibilities. The raise we are giving her is 7%, which is a few percent above inflation and also as the recognition that she has often taken less than the cost of living adjustment over the last few years, as an example for the entire organization.

If we had a higher replacement for Mona, we would likely pay an HR recruiter as much or more than we were giving her in a raise, get someone less competent, and cost us more in annual salary and benefits. It is always difficult for me to approve large expenditures of taxpayer dollars and even more so when it's going to employ salaries. But in this case, I believe it's the most fiscally responsible decision I can make for my constituents.

The response I got from my constituent who was one of my favorites as she wrote back and says, I appreciate your honesty and probably would now agree glad to know the truth just like the fake news. And I'm always happy to be better informed by the source It is really easy in this day and age to chase likes and shares, or in this case donations by telling half the story.

In effect to degrade the people's trust in this board and promote oneself. This board will make mistakes and many of things that I will disagree with and will disappoint my constituents but I am confident that this item is not one of them or at least it shouldn't be. And for anyone who's concerned about a position I take or vote I make, my door is open and my cell phone is on. Thank you.

Is there any public comment on this item?

Chair Nelson and members of the board we have no request to speak from the public on this item.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and I was party to those emails as well and I can tell you that I have spent the last year worried to death that other counties would be successful in recruiting our CEO away from us for considerably more money and have practically begged Mona to stay if you just look at What a leader does and if you look at where we were in 2013. And where we are in 2021, not to mention first off the financial position that we're in completely different than we were in 2013 because of a number of the goals that she set for our board but also just I mean I look at how the board operates now compared from The camaraderie that she, as the leader of this county has brought into this room is exemplary. And I know many times I have folks in my district that tell me constantly that we should run the county like a business and I can promise you there is no CEO along the Central Coast that represents, that has 22 department heads responding to them with 4300 employees and a $1.3 billion budget that makes anywhere in the range of what MONA makes.

They're all considerably higher paid. I did a quick Google search and found that the average CEO in this area is about $800,000. I think that's even low so I have no problem with the sacrifices that MONA has made And this is one of the problems, and I remember encouraging her that when it was time for a raise to take it because when you don't take it. You know then it just compounds the problem of of of you know when when the day does come that needs to be done so.

I can't think of anybody better to be in this position she's guided us through innumerable disasters crises I think of all the money we spend in this county, I can't think of an expenditure that is a better return for the investment and return on the dollar than approving this contract. So I would like to move it.

All right, let's go ahead and move out with the entire items here but I also want to allow Supervisor Hart to speak.

Yeah, I just want to say that Mona is an outstanding leader who has just a really stellar statewide reputation everybody that I talked to in County and State Government We are really lucky to have her continuing to serve us and all the residents of Santa Barbara County. I just have nothing but deep respect and admiration for her personal commitment to public service, county government, the county family, and the tireless effort that she devotes to protecting the health and welfare and economy of the county of Santa Barbara.

I agree. Thank you, Supervisor Hartman.

Well, I just wanted to add that I think the colleagues who have spoken speak for all of us. We are lucky to have Mona Miyasato in Santa Barbara County on more ways than we can ever count up. So I share with Supervisor Lavinino and we're so lucky she stayed

Thank you. All right, Supervisor Williams.

You better get on this train Dawson.

I also think it's important to indicate the larger issues that as some of you have alluded to we are in the midst of a change in this organization to try to make this organization more responsive to the public More customer friendly, less siloed into fiefdoms and more acting with unity of purpose. And it's my belief that the largest factor that will go in to whether that change takes place is the employees themselves but the second most large factor is not who has been elected up here It is who sits in that chair.

And so I think there's a lot at stake, whether Mona stays or not and I hope the public understands that that is a real thing because these are people that are not household names in the community but the staff that execute the legislative priorities of the board They're not automatons, they're not all cut from exactly the same cloth. They're all individuals with different levels of skill, different levels of motivation and a different drive. And Mona's drive, skill and experience is exactly what we need for the challenges ahead.

Thank

you Supervisor

Williams

and I just also want to remind the public this job is not a 40-hour week job She occasionally leaves the county and sends us an email to let us know, but she does not stop being the CEO at any time during the day. And as everybody knows in this county with the amount of natural disasters we've had or crises over her tenure, you know she doesn't get paid overtime. She just shows up day after day and leads the county and we're all appreciative and I'm actually appreciative That I did get called out on this item so that we could bring this up in the public and make sure everybody is clear on our feelings about our CEO. So thank you.

And that brings us to Item A11.

Tara Nelson and members of the board. Administrative item number 11 is from planning and development it is to consider recommendations regarding the Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund grant contract with the Lompoc Unified School District, and this is in the third district.

All right even though it's a third district I've been a big supporter and I know Supervisor Hartman has been as well of Cabrillo High School's aquarium program and I just want to take the opportunity to congratulate them And thank our colleagues for supporting this educational effort. It means a lot to me and the students, and the people of the Wampanoag Valley. And just wanted to highlight that we will be utilizing these funds that are coming from oil operations to give $90,000 to high school students that are gonna be able to learn project management, leadership, public speaking, ecology, environmental protection through this program.

And I just thought it was important enough to bring up. So that is all on that item, and so with that, I believe I'll take a motion to approve the entire agenda.

Mr Chair, I'd be happy to make that motion.

Thank you. Can I get a second?

Second.

All right. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion passes unanimously. Alright, at this time I'm going to read item A25 into the record. I've got a couple of resolutions as well right? Okay thank you Madam Clerk.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, administrative item number 25 is sponsored by Supervisor Nelson. It is to adopt a resolution proclaiming August 2021 as Child Support Awareness Month in Santa Barbara County and joining us via Zoom today we have Joni Maiden, Director of Child Support Services and I will go ahead and read the resolution into the record.

Thank you

Whereas Child Support Awareness Month underscores the critical importance of supporting families and connecting them with the vital resources they need to get by, especially amid the unprecedented pandemic challenges faced over the past year. And whereas research conducted statewide reveals that many California parents are unaware of the programs available for their benefit through child support services. And thus parents are encouraged to get the facts as services are more flexible and responsive to the needs of modern families than ever before.

And whereas Santa Barbara County Department of Child Support Services served over 11,000 child support cases in 2020. Collecting and distributing nearly 32.5 million in support to families and children, and whereas Santa Barbara County Department of Child Support Services is available virtually and in person to assist single parents and their families with improved services that expand eligibility and access for those in need.

And whereas throughout the month of August, the department is conducting virtual informational sessions in both English and Spanish about child support services, child support debt reduction and order modifications. And whereas, Child Support Awareness Month serves as a reminder that a single parent does not mean alone. Both parents and child support professionals are working together to ensure a bright future for California's children. And now therefore be it hereby ordered and resolved that this Board of Supervisors proclaims August 2021 as Child Support Awareness Month in Santa Barbara County passed and adopted today.

Thank you. Before I go to Miss Maiden, I'm proud to be able to sponsor this item. Child Support Services is one of those departments in our county that's often not noticed but has a significant effect on the lives of many children and families in our county. This is a department that's been innovative and efficient and effective and I want to congratulate and recognize Miss Maiden in that department. Miss Maiden?

Joni, if you can hold on a moment. We can't hear you. Hold on just a moment please. Alrighty, please proceed. Joni, I'm sorry we're having some technical difficulties and we're checking it on our end. Thank you.

Please just bear with us for a moment. We'll get this figured out. We have actually one more resolution to present for one of our retirees so want to get this right.

Chair Nelson and members of the board, my apologies. If we can have a quick five minute break? Absolutely. Much appreciated. All right, we're

going to take a five minute

break and be right back to you.

All right, welcome back. We're going to go ahead and try this again. Go to Miss Maiden from Child Support Services. Again thank you for being patient.

Thank you and good morning Chair Nelson and members of the Board. I'm Joni Maiden the Director of the Department of Child Support Services as stated August is recognizing California and nationwide as child support awareness month underscoring the importance of supporting families and connecting them with the resources that they need Our program assists both parents as well as legal guardians in the active provision of a stable and supportive environment for their children.

This year, our focus is to encourage parents and guardians to get the facts about our program as services offered are more flexible and responsive to the needs of modern family than ever before. Here in Santa Barbara County we've been conducting live virtual information sessions that we're calling Get To Know Us conversations And these sessions are being presented by staff in both English and Spanish and cover topics such as an overview of our services, our debt reduction program, and how to change a court order.

I did want to mention that presenting for live Zoom sessions can be a little intimidating And I wanted to give a quick thank you to our caseworkers that stepped out of their comfort zone to do this. And they are Tiffany Soto, Arlene Herrera, Crystal Guzman and Jennifer Diaz and they're doing a great job so a big thank you to them. We've seen today it can be brought with a lot of unknown obstacles that come into the way As we continue to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, we are available virtually and in person to assist parents and their families with improved services that expand eligibility and access for those who need.

In order to make sure our services remain accessible to customers this month, we are attempting to survey approximately 10,000 of our case participants to determine whether or not we are meeting their communication and service requirements. And although we are using Child Support Awareness Month to kick off all of these initiatives, we will continue promoting them so that we remain informative, responsive and supportive to the families in need.

For the 11,000 cases we managed today and for those we help to serve in the future. Thank you.

Thank you Ms. Maiden. We look forward to having you join us again next year in person to celebrate this month. All right, that brings us to item number A-26. Madam Clerk will you please read that resolution?

Chair Nelson and members of the Board, Administrative Item Number 26 is sponsored by Supervisor Nelson. It is to adopt a Resolution of Accommodation honoring Elizabeth Lisa Tenor upon her retirement from the Child Support Services Department after 21 years of faithful and distinguished service to the citizens of Santa Barbara County. And joining us via Zoom today we have Lisa Tenor.

I'll go ahead and read the resolution.

Thank you,

whereas Elizabeth known by Lisa tenors dedication to the child support program in public service was evident in her 21 years with the county as a child support officer and whereas Lisa's extensive knowledge of the Child Support Program work ethic and excellent customer service were instrumental in managing the post-order early intervention caseload and whereas Lisa brought her passion for the child support program to work every day as she assisted the community with establishing percentage parentage, obtaining court orders for child support for children and providing the utmost in quality customer service.

And whereas Lisa was known for her problem solving skills and frequently provided input on improving processes within the department. And whereas Lisa will be remembered as a helpful coworker always with a smile on her face For representing our department with kindness, compassion and professionalism. And for planning great office celebrations. Now therefore it is hereby ordered and resolved that this Board of Supervisors commends Lisa Tenor for her faithful and distinguished service to the citizens and particularly the children of Santa Barbara County. Congratulates her upon her retirement and wishes her many years of continued good health and happiness in time with her beloved family past and adopted today.

Lisa, you're not here but in person so it's a little hard to see all the smiling faces and the claps from the board and the audience. But thank you for your service and I'd like to give you an opportunity to address the Board. It's quite appropriate that we are honoring you today at the same day we are honoring the department that you were able to give so much of your time and energy to promote.

Thank you.

So this is Joni, Chair Nelson and members of the board if you are okay I wanted to say a few words about Lisa before she speaks.

That'd be great thank you.

Thank you again Director of the Department of Child Support Services and I just wanted to acknowledge the hard work and dedication that Lisa devoted to our program in the community I first met her in 2002 when I was fortunate enough to be her direct supervisor in our Santa Maria office. And at that time, she was managing an early intervention caseload and it was a new caseload designed with the intent to get newly opened cases moving in a positive direction.

She helped develop the process for managing it talking at length with participants to fully explain the program And she developed the mechanisms to track the data and stats and closely monitor cases for compliance, and quickly take appropriate actions. Through the years she definitely managed a few different caseloads covering a variety of functions. And before she retired, she was managing an enforcement case load collecting child support pursuant to a court order that was established for the case.

Lisa is bilingual and her caseload of almost 600 was compiled of both English and Spanish speaking cases, and in fiscal year 2020 she collected almost $2 million in child support. Without a doubt those stats provide a glimmer of the outstanding performance she consistently put forth but they don't illustrate her caring nature She often did whatever she could to help those in need. And in our office, she started a food drive program. She was part of the team of caseworkers that annually collaborates with CASA donating gifts for children during the holidays and she's a gifted party planner and Was an organizer of many of our internal office celebrations and did an excellent job at that as well.

I can't thank her enough for all the years of service she gave to our office and program. And I know her contributions to the community will continue. I wish you all the best in your retirement, Lisa, and we're going to miss you.

Thank you, Ms. Maiden. Lisa?

Thank you. Thank you, Joni. Thank you everyone. I'll just make it short and sweet. I'd just like to say that working at DCSS and helping people in our community was extremely rewarding. I appreciate all that I learned and all the support from my coworkers who became my family. I miss you all, I miss the work believe it or not, I do, I miss helping people but it's just time for my new chapter and I appreciate the recognition so thank you.

Thank you Lisa, thank you for your service. So we approved both of those items as part of the entire administrative agenda. So at this time, we'll go ahead and move to public comment. This is for public comment for items that are not on the agenda today. Madam Clerk, do you have any public comment?

Chair Nelson and members of the board, yes, we have 13 requests to speak on general public comment today.

All right.

And I will go ahead with our participants via Zoom and then we will come back to Santa Barbara. And we will begin with Maria Kastner. Maria, you can go ahead with your comments.

Hello? Can you hear me?

We

can. Dear Santa Barbara County Supervisors, I put in a California Public Records request for all data that is to support the information put on the county website with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally received a reply that all information is present on both the county and state website but upon further investigation by me no raw data and or sources are provided on either website I submitted my reply and got a different response back in that the county doesn't have this info available and has to gather it from outside sources. 17 months into this pandemic, and the county cannot provide its foundational evidence for the current pandemic. It makes claims daily yet when questioned on how it comes to those conclusions, it's incapable of providing the evidence.

Yet, we have supervisors who dare to label any public dissent and for questioning fake news. Yet these supervisors with Gary Hart being a prime example never have rebutted any claims made by the public which he deemed false. The fact that a COVID case is now someone who tests positive on a deeply flawed PCR test which creates many false positives and was not intended as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19 is highly troublesome. As I stated last week, and I quoted the FDA source. Also the COVID count by many counties around the country has been rather dubious and contributed to many false outcomes as my father-in-law who was a statistician for the government and contributed to determining the maximum alcohol content while driving under the influence in this country give me your desired outcome and I will create the parameters We need answers and rigorous examination of your facts which shape this county's COVID policies as to hold you accountable to your actions.

Thank you for your time.

All right, a couple of things just for agenda management and for the decorum of the board. We don't do clapping we do the hand-waving here it's a tradition for a long time you're glad to show your support in those ways. We just like to keep the meeting moving along it's something that we've done for many years here as far as public comment is concerned this is for all Anybody signed up for public comment today? This general public comment is for items that are not on the agenda. If you're here to speak about COVID-19, you're going to speak in item D1. So there's a difference there. Glad to hear from you. Glad you're here to speak to us. We will be here to listen but just for the agenda management and for the order of what we're trying to do here if you would just delay your comments to that and then So

We will now go to Grace Wallace to be followed by Andy Caldwell. Grace you can begin your comments. Grace I see you have just unmuted yourself, you can proceed with your comments thank you.

Okay It looks like it's going to be on COVID, so I'm going to wait till D1. Thank you.

Thank You Ms. Wallace.

We will now go to Andy Caldwell to be followed by Leslie Weinstock. Andy?

Mr. Caldwell

Chair Nelson, members of the board. First off I'm pretty disappointed on I don't want to waste my time on this. I sent you an email chair Nelson. I did not call you out. I called out all five county supervisors. I did not misrepresent the facts with regard to Mona's salary. I put in the in that text or Facebook total costs with benefits Secondly, and I've said this many times before. I think Mona Miyasato is an excellent CEO. I also acknowledge she's not being paid anymore. In fact, she's probably being paid less than her counterparts. That's not the point. The point is these things are getting too high. Especially with your pension crises, that was the only point here. In fact on yesterday's show we specifically compared her to Paul Casey who has a much smaller staff and a much smaller budget so I'd appreciate it if you're claiming somebody is misrepresenting you don't misrepresent them.

The thing I wanted to talk about today is the oil spill in Toro Canyon Why hasn't this been a departmental item? You put it on the agenda back in May, and then the newspapers say in August there was a leak. But back in May you were told that there was a leak, there was problem, the question who is gonna clean it up, who has responsibility, who didn't get the right permit.

Here's the deal folks, accidents happen. Accidents happen. But if this had been an oil company, you would have had a press conference. Well 50 animals injured or died, 600 gallons of oil spilled in a creek. You would've had a press conference, you would've had a photo op and you would've called for prosecution. But now the government is somehow responsible for not maintaining this leak.

Barrett on the agenda back in May, goes into closed session in August and then somehow the press gets this idea that all of this happened in August when you guys knew three months ago and in fact according to your staff report, the accidents to the structure one of them was a leak But some of the other things happened in 2017 and 2018. If this had been Greca, he would have been calling to shut him down. A truck driver for crying out loud got prosecuted for a wreck.

Double standards. You either are completely care about the environment Or you use these things for political purposes against the oil industry. Which is it? Departmental item, please.

Thank you Mr. Caldwell. That is your time.

We will now go to Leslie Weinstock to be followed by Katie Mickey. Leslie, you can proceed with your comments.

Good morning. I really want to acknowledge how much you all have on your plate, how challenging your jobs are and how incredible your service is to us. It's unfortunate that my group Safe Tech SBC was not informed in time to show up and stop the votes for the crossouts to the telecom code in December 2019. Starting two years ago, we should have presented expert witnesses and communicated more effectively about the biological and safety effects of unneeded, unmonitored overpowered cell towers.

You have been hoodwinked by the telecom industry example, the NIH study proved radio frequency radiation RFR causes cancer. The industry used the tobacco playbook Spun the science and continues to discredit the researchers. This is what we are up against this behavior is typical when profit is paramount. The August 13th FCC ruling showed that the FCC did not consider the evidence of RFR harm to health and environment.

Not only did the court say that the FCC's order is, quote, arbitrary and capricious, end quote. No one is monitoring the radiation. The current RFR frequencies are being transmitted with no FCC guidelines. Therefore we can use this court ruling as a reason to strengthen our code We now have several stellar expert witnesses available to explain the science and the action you can take to boost our protections, especially in light of these three terrible state wireless broadband bills SB 556, AB 537 and SB 378 which will deregulate the wireless industry.

This could be your last chance to reverse the cross outs and add the essential amendments, including notification monitoring procedural guidance for the planners and require proof of insurance without a pollution exclusion. Near my home on East Valley Road I feel horrified to see so-called small cells on almost every pole In preparation for a 5G technology never studied for safety.

Please meet with us and our experts to hear new information, work together to brainstorm solutions, boost our local authority and prevent injury lawsuits from your constituents by this reckless disregard of harm to public safety and the environment. Thank you.

We will now go to Katie Mickey to be followed by Jeffrey Schwartz.

Miss Mickey, when you're ready.

Dear County Board of Supervisors, greetings from the Hilton in Boston on layover due to Hurricane Henry. I am moved to listen into your meeting and all the care you extend each item on your agenda You have many responsibilities. A primary one is to keep us safe in Santa Barbara County. A week ago Friday, the Ninth District Court of Appeals in D.C. ruled that the guidelines set by the FCC in 1996 are unsafe.

The wireless small cell antennas lining our neighborhoods and commercial neighborhoods are no longer deemed safe by the Ninth District Court of Appeals. The FCC has been ignoring mountains of evidence from peer-reviewed studies that conclude that the current exposure limits cause harm. In these studies, they have demonstrated that these exposure limits cause cancer, lowered immune response and neurological damage.

Furthermore, No one is monitoring the transmission levels to be sure that they are even within the limits of the current exposure levels. So in December 2019, as Leslie has pointed out our county code, our county crossed out two great protections in our code which were proof of significant gap in coverage and restriction from placement in residential neighborhoods.

These small cell antennas are not safe for many reasons. The exposure levels for radiating frequency radiation are too high, they're also combustible. Malibu has incurred two horrific fires due to combustion from cell antennas and downed power lines. Powering these small cell antennas greatly increase greenhouse emissions contributing to climate change. Are they essential?

No, macro towers in the mountains can meet our county's broadband needs and keep our residential and commercial neighborhoods safe. For the past 31 years as director of the Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute I have trained the bulk of the massage therapists that fill our spas and chiropractic offices. My job has to been to keep the public safe, I am honored to do so.

My request is that in light of the Ninth District Court of Appeals ruling that the cross outs of December 2019 be reconsidered. I request that the county supervisors at County Attorney and Planning Department meet with Safe County, for Santa Barbara County to discuss revisions of the county code. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you, Miss Mickey.

We will now go to Jeffrey Schwartz and then we are going to return to Santa Barbara for Tristan Strauss.

Mr. Schwartz when you're ready. Can you hear me? We can.

Okay this is not about a topic in particular that's on the agenda it's this is about genocide and the history of genocide in this world. The so-called Stages of Genocide is a scholarly analysis of mass genocides that have taken place during the history of the world. This analysis has been presented by academics to the U.S. Department of State in scholarly papers by university professors.

This pattern of genocide, stages of genocide Based on previous historical genocides involve several predictable and inevitable stages a society must go through before it is possible for a genocide to take place. Virtually all known genocides in history have been preceded by these stages. The question is, are we as a society and our governments currently going through any of these familiar stages of genocide?

And if so Are we going to allow these stages of genocide to continue to move forward, or are we going to recognize and stop this trend before possibly it becomes too late? The first stage of genocide is classification. People are divided into groups of us for them ask yourself has this country been divided over the last 18 months symbolization People are forced to identify themselves as to which group they're in.

Ask yourself, are we asking people to identify themselves? Have we been doing that lately? Discrimination. People in the target group begin to face systemic discrimination for example not being able to enter stores, being fired from their jobs, not being able to use public transportation. Ask yourself Are we starting to discriminate against certain segments of the population over the last few months? Dehumanization, people in the target group are equated as lower than human. Organization, government begins creates or signs categories of people to enforce these policies. Polarization, the government broadcasts propaganda to turn the population against the group So are we discriminated against a group right now? Are we classifying people, are we asking them to identify themselves?