Board of Supervisors — August 4, 2026

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, good morning. We are going to call to order this meeting of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors of August 4th 2026. Mr. Clerk can you please call the roll?

My name is Tammy Barnett. I'm the CEO and co-founder of Raising Hope, and we support youth aging out of the foster care system through resources and relationships.

I first heard about Raising Hope when I was in like a six bed group home. They were just immediately so willing Helping me get an apartment, Raising Hope helped me incorporate my business. When I broke my back and my arm they started a GoFundMe to help me get through financially. It's a family dynamic over there it's not just a non-profit.

Raising Hope works with approximately 300 to 350 youth every year ages 13 to 26. These are youth who have experienced abuse or neglect and as they prepare to age out of the system into adulthood, there are a lot of things that they need. There are life lessons that they haven't learned.

I was 18 with two children. I was in need of a car. They blessed me and my two children at the time with that car. Raising Hope has came through for a lot of things.

We listen to each youth and figure out what they need in particular because you need to really know that person, to know what is going to be best for them on any given day.

I was doing a speech and debate scholarship competition and I needed a suit. Tammy met me and she got me a suit. If you can name it then Raising Hope has more than likely already done

it. Our team is really incredible All of the needs that we serve are so vast that one of us alone could not handle it. Individual donors are everything. We really rely on their support, they see the need and so their support comes in and helps us be able to support all the youth and not turn anyone away. We really love these kids. They come in and many times they've never heard that. They've never been told they're loved And we really love them. And it seems crazy because we just are getting to know them, but there's something that has equipped us to love kids who haven't been loved before and it's genuine. And as we go through, we have the opportunity to really show them that love until they finally believe that because we're never going to leave them.

Raising whole parents had a huge impact On my life, I feel blessed that Raising Hope is sponsoring me through nursing school.

They care more about your personal development than what they're giving to you now. I have a daughter. I have a business and they truly check in on you see how you're doing there rooting for you always and thinking about you always.

It's not just me that Raising Hope has helped. The love that they've shown me is extended to my wife, to our son with everything that Raising Hope has done for me. Tammy's like a second mother to me.

Couldn't ask for better people, better organization.

All of it started with just getting a suit. It's grown into so much more. Without them, I don't know what I would do.

We can give them all kinds of resources but we really see them change when they begin to know that they are cared for. That's even bigger than the resources we provide is helping them cast a vision for who they're going to be in this world and believing that they can be the person that they want to be Thank you. Thank you, Chair Gorrell. Thank you so much for having us here. I want to also mention that our Mentorship coordinator Linda Truschke is here with me. Thank you so much everybody for being here. I want to share with you that there are approximately 700 youth in the foster care system in Ventura County. Raising Hope has seven programs that are aimed to help youth go from dependence on the system, to successful stable independence. We help approximately 40 youth with our mentorship and life coaching program We have had hundreds of youth come through our life skills courses.

We also served about 142 youth and help to help them find safe and stable housing in 2025 that includes 42 that does not include 42 of their children that we also helped stay stable in housing. We also serve about two youth every month with transportation needs. We help them purchase cars. We also take about 40 to 50 youth on college tours annually just so that they can cast a vision for their future. We help you if we have a new program that's designed to help you find employment, that is such a challenge right now. Finding employment that is sufficient to cover housing. Those two things just cannot be separated. We also have a general financial support, so in total we serve about 300 youth every year and our whole idea is to go deeper not wider.

So we really know these youth I think you can share that from the video. We also have 25 ambassadors of hope that are youth with lived experience that advise us on our programming how we move forward What impact our programs have on the youth and how to do them in the best way that causes the least amount of harm. We have the principle of just offering dignity to the youth we are not a handout, we help them the way that we would help our own children so we want to equip them by giving them the tools to not ever need us again eventually that's the goal right as parents that's our goal that's our goal at raising hope I want to share that just last week we had a young woman who was having a baby. She had nobody to be with her in the delivery, and I was there with her.

I feel really honored that she invited me to be in there with her which I thought was just you know going to be a company. But it ended up that her epidural didn't take and she was crying and screaming in pain as I held her. And she finally was able to get the epidural she needed and have that baby, beautiful baby girl. And I got to cut the cord which is one of the greatest honors of my life But being there all day and all into the night is the kind of thing that we do at Raising Hope. We are not just a 9 to 5, we're there for them.

And we're so thankful for the support of this county that we get to be there. We have two county contracts. We love to partner closely with our social workers and our life independent living skills workers over at the county. We just are like in tandem. And we have the same philosophy of helping these youth to grow and become independent. Our next dream is to build a campus. We plan to build a campus that will virtually eliminate homelessness for youth aging out of the foster care system, while simultaneously providing them the community that they need so they're not isolated and they have a place to go an affordable housing as they are case managed into mainstream housing. So that is our next big project that you can look for. Thank you so much for having us appreciate all of you

Yeah, thank you Tammy and we couldn't be more inspired than we are right now. Thank you for starting this day with such amazing updates from an organization that's truly touching lives and thank you for everything you do on behalf of the county and especially District 2 and especially our young people so thank you could everyone join me in a round of applause?

Pivoting now to agenda item number five, we'd like to do an agenda review and Levine Act disclosures. I'd like to ask my colleagues on the board if there are any Levine Act disclosures for today? No? Okay not hearing or seeing any I'd like to turn over to CEO Dr. Johnson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning supervisors staff and all in attendance today. The agenda review for today August 4th 2026 is as follows item 8 general public comments to public comment letters have been submitted item 11 County Clerk recorder and register voters receive and file the certifications detailing the canvas results of the June 2nd 2026 statewide direct primary election of Ventura County to public comment letters have been submitted Item 14, County Executive Office approval of a memorandum of understanding to support Senate Bill 90 state mandated cost reimbursement claims with Golden State Finance Authority. A revised Exhibit A has been submitted.

Item 63 Supervisor LaVere Presentation of a proclamation honoring High Tide Team 4414. A photograph has been submitted. Item 66, Harbor Department public hearing regarding adoption of a resolution approving a Ninth Amendment to the Channel Islands Public Works Plan. A PowerPoint presentation has been submitted. Item 67, Resource Management Agency Code Compliance. DeNova hearing to consider upholding the code compliance director's determination for the property located at 85 Crestview Avenue in unincorporated Ventura County. Supplemental materials from the resource management agency and appellant Jeffrey Tinsley and eight public comment letters have been submitted Thank You Mr. Chair this concludes agenda review

Thank you for that Dr. Johnson, any questions by the board? If not seeking a motion.

for consent We have public comments on items 11 44 and 45 starting with item 11 we have Bruce McVicker on zoom How much time would you like to give each speaker?

On June 24th, 2026 a letter from Robert Preston Governor Pro Tempore of New California State was delivered to the Sheriff, the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and the Elections Divisions of Ventura County. This letter advises the BOS to not receive and file the results certification from the June 2nd, 2026 statewide direct primary election for Ventura County. It also warns that certifying is a felony. The basis for the advice to reject certification is due to the number of illegal voters as set forth in California Elections Code 16100D, which states any elector of a city county or of any political subdivision of either may contest an election held therein. For any of the following causes, including D that illegal votes were cast under the Biden administration.

Millions of illegal aliens entered the country and estimates range from 16 million to over 50 million. It has been reported that there are about 190,000 non citizens on California voter rolls. Also a new federal lawsuit alleges that California has over 870,000 Long inactive voter registrations. The California Motor Voter Law enacted by the California Secretary of State allows people getting a driver's license also registered to vote and does not guarantee that they are citizens or otherwise ineligible. A list published by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security includes California as a sanctuary jurisdiction where policies materially impede Federal Immigration Enforcement. Ventura County has additional local policies or practices that further limit cooperation with the federal government.

It is commonly known that sanctuary jurisdictions accumulate a high percentage of illegal aliens. There are estimates that about 50,000 illegal aliens are in Ventura County. What percentage of these are on the voter registration roll? How many long and active voter registrations are in the county? The citizens want answers to these legitimate questions. Any election run using the poorly maintained California voter registration database is illegitimate. Ventura County citizens object to our votes being diluted by votes cast by ineligible voters. On September 5th, 2025 the U.S Department of Justice sued California And the Secretary of State to obtain California's full unredacted statewide voter registration database for federal election integrity maintenance purposes under the NVRA, HAVA and other federal laws.

The case is still pending appeal after being dismissed by the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California. Why is California hiding their voter registration database from the DOJ? EO 14248, preserving and protecting the integrity of American election states. Free fair and honest elections unmarred by fraud error suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional republic. The right of American citizens is to have their votes properly counted and tabulated without illegal dilution is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election under the Constitution. Thank you Mr. Mayvicker your time has expired.

Next we have item number 44 with Wade Pereira here in person. Please come forward to the podium and begin your comments.

Good morning, my name is Wade Pereira and for the last four-and-a-half years I've served this county as an Account Executive with Employment Services. I am an SEIU 721 member. My words today are my own I would like to first say thank you for everyone in public service. The work we do has an impact on our community, but our efforts go unnoticed. Items 44 and 45 of today's agenda is a clear message to county HSA employees. Our efforts do not matter.

Before I started employment with the County of Ventura, I had 20 years of work experience in the private sector. The reason I got into government work was because I became sick and tired when business owners treated employees like expenses rather than assets. During this year's reduction in force, I experienced our organization running just like a private business.

My public comment is to call attention to the fact that this board approved a budget that passed the bill down to frontline staff. I am also whistleblowing on the lack of transparency, starting with CEO Dr. Johnson and HSA Director Roger Robinson regarding the public funding of our service programs. In February, Director Robinson told entire employment services team that due to the anticipated decreases funding from HR 1, the big beautiful bill, careful strategic movements must be made for the good of the agency and its future.

We understood less money coming from our federal government, but the money's there and cut started at the bottom not the top. The reduction in force in the 2026-27 budget singled out 26 employment services staff and we're given an ultimatum demote with a pay deduction or end your employment with County of Ventura Deputy Directors Marissa Mock and Jenny Pittman used scare tactics and pressured us into these demotions, forfeiting our salaries earned throughout our years of service.

From these 26 employees 14 were transferred as IHSS social workers. I am one of those 14. And only we who are over the age of 40 were subject to a pay deduction. Also, there is a paid discrepancy in the IHSS social worker position but you will hear more about that another day. My opinion all employees affected by this RIF were lied to and everyone involved with the planning of the RIF and the 2026-27 fiscal budget hurried to an easy fix.

Frontline staff were treated as numbers and moved like cattle True leaders would have sought options that had less impact on employees and our families' well-being. To Director Robinson, $600 a month may not seem like much but for frontline staff this is our groceries, our gas, our children's education. The fact is I was at the negotiating table this spring with my union and the county when we asked for options and made suggestions.

Mr. Pair, your time on item 44 has expired. We'll go to item 45 for your comments on that item now. Thank you. Please proceed for item 45.

The fact is I was at the negotiating tables with the spring with my union and the county when we asked for other options and made suggestions, the response was there were no other options but now the county is willing to give Goodwill Industries another $400,000 to staff their nonprofits The Employment Services Team, members who were moved during this RIF are the reason for the success of that ESC program.

And when we notified our supervisors of fraud, leadership ignored us. Some questions for you today. Do you really know where that money goes? Did you know how the reduction in force would impact staff Was there true transparency when balancing this budget? Is there transparency on current program funding and the organizational restructuring? Is IHSS double dipping in AAA and HSA budgets to justify the pay increase to dislocated AAA social workers.

I am here today requesting your response to these questions, and to ask you was this your intention when you approve this budget? Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you we're gonna go out of order briefly and take item number 48 there are some county and community leaders here to share some good news related to the progress of our Family Justice Center Mr. Koh come on up and please start us off if you would

Good morning. Good morning Chair Garrell, Supervisors, CEO Dr. Johnson for the record my name is Kevin Koh representing Public Works and I'm here to present item 48 which requests approval and authorization to execute a 60-month lease with California Lutheran University for the property located on the CLU campus in Thousand Oaks. The property will become the East Valley Family Justice Center. In addition this item seeks authorization for tenant improvements not to exceed $1,250,000 The item is located in Supervisory District 2, represented by Chair Gorel.

Chief and the District Attorney Nazarenko is here to provide additional details about this important service, a new Family Justice Center in the East Valley. Do you have any questions? Thank

you. Mr. Nazarenko please.

Good morning Chair Grell, members of the Board of Supervisors, Dr. Johnson. I am joined with Cal Lutheran College President John Nunes and Chief Deputy Brent Nybacher. We have another moment of inspiration before us right now and that's the consideration of this lease. I have to share with you less than a year ago Chief Whitney, Chief Nybacher and I met with President Nunes And we thought it would be an introductory meeting to talk about the concept of a family justice center. This one stop shop to assist crime survivors and victims with restraining orders, counseling hospital and medical bills. And we thought we'd just kind of lay out what we were seeking well 20 minutes later President Nunes had his Facility staff walk us to 26 Faculty Street so we could go inside, take a look and see if this would work for the county and the DA's office.

And indeed it did because what we realized is that we didn't need simply a building walls, ceilings floors. We needed a home and 26 Faculty Street is exactly that. It is strategically located near the 23 freeway There are athletic and recreational facilities within Cal Lutheran that Family Justice Center survivors can utilize. We have the ability to leverage clinicians, interns, staff, faculty, students from Cal Lutheran right there on the campus where our Family Justice Center will be housed. I am very excited by this five-year lease, uh i urge the board to adopt it and I just want to share one thing and then I'm going to go ahead and turn the floor over to President Nunes right now Chief Deputy Nybacher is overseeing at Camp Daly Camp Hope so there are 59 Youth ages 7 to 17 from our caseload who are at camp right now receiving those transformative services and with the adoption of this lease they will be able to receive services in the very near future at the East County Family Justice Center at Cal Lutheran University.

It's my pleasure to turn this over to President Nunes. Thank

you so much Mr. Nazarenko, Mr. Grell, Dr. Johnson, Supervisors I consider this a win-win-win for our community it's a win whenever entities like ours come together and work together for the sake of the common good that's a win it's a win for our students As they can see our values at California Lutheran University being enacted. They can have access to internships that are proximate to where they go to school and it's primarily a win for the most vulnerable citizens of especially East Ventura County who can have safe access to support services. I love the fact that it's in a house because those who have Struggled with domestic situations will now have access to a home that is safe for them and where support services can be provided. So thank you so much for this opportunity and for this moment of optimism in our community as private and public partnerships work together for the sake of the common good we're super excited it's good to be a part of the winning team.

Very exciting. Dr. Nunez, thank you so much. Mr. Nybecker any further comments? I just don't want to ace you out. Well credit to you. You've been a quarterback for a great team and working and bringing it together everyone. I'll just say that this model as presented today is not the model we started with. We started with a different idea but this couldn't be a better outcome because as you know, Mr. District Attorney, the highest achieving, the most impactful Change agents in FJCs are ones with a university partner. Right, like the very first one down in Van Nuys and having those university partners enables them in ways that are very difficult to articulate but change lives. And so I am so excited and to your point Cal Loo and that community is central to the East County.

So it's very close to Moorpark very close to Oak Park very close to Simi Valley. It's very close to all of the communities that are now going to have that opportunity and not have to drive to Ventura or Oxnard. So we're very, very excited about this. This is big news. Thank you for being here and carving time out of your busy schedule to help celebrate this opportunity. And I'm very, very, very excited. Want to turn it over for any comments from other board members?

Okay. Home run indeed. Should I be honored?

Yes. I would be remiss if I didn't thank Public Works they did an outstanding job negotiating this lease along with people like Clay McCarty and Chrissy Ortega you know Joan, Greg the entire county team made this achievable so a special shout out to all the partners in this great County who have made today possible. Indeed thank you very much Supervisor Long

Yes, I just chair. I know that we were discussing where the location would be and you know everyone wants one in their district and everyone wants one as close because it helps so many people and I really appreciated the comment in regards to being in a home Because you're being taken away from your home, and to have that security around you and feel that you are having a home. And where the next steps are is really important for our community.

And for those that are in trouble not finding a way out at that time. So I wanted to say thank you so much. Thank you to the supervisors who really just we all support this mission and appreciate the education as well. Thank you.

I just wanted to make a comment that I'm really pleased that we're finally approving this today hopefully but I'm sure we are. But I think the location, I'm sure the location is a good location. I visited and toured it and it makes you feel comfortable and I think that's really key to the success Of this program so appreciate the time. I know we all worked on it very hard all of us Everyone public works, so appreciate it. Thank

you. All right well fantastic This is a big news and I'm excited to make the motion myself which I usually don't but it will here

Is there a motion? Item number seven, motion to approve moved by Supervisor Long seconded by Supervisor Lopez and that passes unanimously thank you

Thank you. General public comments, Mr. Clerk how many comment cards do we have today?

Chair Groh, we currently have 25 speakers. How much time would you like to give each of those? Two minutes please. Two minutes each all right thank you

We will now provide the instructions. Okay, as a reminder to members of the public who wish to address the board today with public comments on any agenda item please visit VenturaCounty.gov slash VOS comment for participation information and instructions for in-person public comment please check in with the deputy clerk at the entrance of the boardroom If you wish to make comments, you must be in the boardroom or if you are participating remotely, you must be connected to the meeting via Zoom or telephone before the close of the public comment period for that agenda item. Requests to make public comments on an agenda item will be accepted until the public comment period for each agenda item is complete. For our remote participants, please accept the prompt to be promoted and unmute your mic when it is your turn to speak For all public comments, the in-person speakers present in the boardroom will be called upon first followed by the remote participants.

At the discretion of the chair general public comment regarding county related matters that are not listed on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board may be moved to the end of the meeting. Okay, we'll begin our public comment with Leslie Rule followed by Anne Bardo and Bill Carroll.

Good morning supervisors, my name is Leslie rule I am council member from district one from Ojai. I'm here to speak on the case of Bruce, the inmate at the castle and also the Ojai liaison. to be cast and it occurs to me that this has become this has been blown way out of proportion and there is an easy way to resolve this. You know animals are things they are owned they have contracts so we're going to get into I mean We're already into legal battles. We're going to get into a legal battle on contracts, we potentially could get into a legal battle on the Hayden Act which requires that dogs be put- be sent to rescues before they are euthanized if it is reasonable. We have all kinds of documentation that say that it is reasonable. Are we really willing to fight this?

How much has it already cost us? It is already in councils uh you know starting in the DA's office. Are we going to continue with this This is about an animal that was, you know, owned by a homeless woman who protected her. There are numerous findings by behavioral specialists who say that he's not an aggressive dog. This dog should go to a sanctuary that has been offered that protects People, this dog will never be out in public again. Yet we have VCAS is unwilling to come to some sort of arrangement about this and we're all fighting about it. We must have better things to fight about or not.

So I'm asking someone here to take responsibility whether it's Dr. Johnson or some member of the council to the chamber to deal with this situation My constituents reach out to me all the time which means Supervisor LaVere your constituents are reaching out all the time. This is an easy solve and there's just no reason to be in a battle about this, there is no reason for VCAS to be putting up such a...

There goes my time you've heard my argument I hope that at some point you will take this seriously and deal with it get it over with thank you

Please, ladies and gentlemen on the general comments I would ask you to not audibly respond maybe a thumbs up or thumbs down or hands waving like this but we don't want to create an environment where people feel like they're not comfortable speaking one way or the other. And I asked that on both sides of every issue during these public comments period so thank you.

Okay our next speaker is Anne Bardo followed by Bill Carroll and Stephen Weed

Good morning. I have been a volunteer at Ventura County Animal Services Shelter for over 10 years, and I am here this morning to comment regarding this issue about Bruce that we're dealing with now to comment about the misinformation that is going out about the shelter. Everybody is passionate for their sides and their positions, and understand that but the misinformation is so damaging to who and what we are It is demoralizing to volunteers and staffers. It is difficult when the public comes into the shelter and questions us about things that they've read in the press that we have to respond to. It's defaming to people in the institution, and it becomes threatening to some individuals. There's information out there about certain individuals and things they have said and things they have done, and it becomes very personal and threatening.

They're concerned their families are concerned about them The community at large that we work to support and we outreach to, and we work with the neighborhoods. We want those people to feel safe about coming into the shelter to get their dogs. We work with them on rehoming. We go out to the community. They read things. They're wondering if some of these things are true.

I'm not going to go through all the things, and I know things get put on Facebook. It goes into the next store. Then somebody distorts it, and it's all out there. Things like the volunteers are not valued or appreciated and are discriminated against. That is so far from the truth. We had 5000 hours of volunteer time given in July by over 500 volunteers. We have monthly meetings that Director Rodriguez has in his office, that every volunteer can attend and ask questions and make suggestions. There's total transparency There's even an extreme bit that came out in the media, that somebody at the shelter puts together a list every week of 15 dogs that are going to be killed. That is out there and people do believe it so I'm asking that all the sides that we're all passionate about and efforts one of the things also is- Thank you Ms.

Bardot your time has expired.

Okay please contact the shelter, the directors if there's any questions you have. Our

next speaker Next speaker is Bill Carroll followed by Stephen Weed and Casey Rodriguez.

My name is Bill Carroll, I'm on an HOA in Camarillo, Laurelwood East. We got a citation kind of thing that says we need to replace the deck on our pool I would, I'm trying to make an appointment to have somebody come out and point right to where the violation is. I've called this lady on the citation three times no call back. I came in to make an appointment at the desk in person they said you can't do that here's a phone number no call back I'm being stonewalled here. I'm hoping Supervisor Long's office can help me call them and tell them, hey give this guy a call all I want is a call because I have constituents too that are going to have to spend half a million dollars.

I have to be able to point to that place on the deck and say this is no good, that's no good, that's no good. I also have a dispute because the code they cited does not cover what they're telling me so I need to have somebody explain that to me I think it's an oversight because they're citing a building code that says this is how you should build it, but my situation happens later and it's not covered by a building code. I have been to Supervisor Zong's office and the guy was really nice and I explained it all to him and I gave him all the paperwork on what I think and what I think should happen.

I think the board should consider making a code that covers my situation, and then it would be crystal clear that I could point to this in this code. And that's why I'm spending all this money. I am hoping Supervisors Long can call this department and just get me a return call because this is pretty crappy customer service. And I'm just a customer asking for just an appointment. That's all I need if you could help me, thank you.

If I could just address since the speaker was addressing me Thank You Mr. Carroll for coming to the office and explaining the issue we are following up with you so thank you very much okay.

Mr. Carroll? Mr. Carroll right hey if you look the man in the blue suit white shirt he's going to assist you with the man in the gray suit.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Okay, our next public speaker is Stephen Weed followed by KC Rodriguez and Aryaman Patulu.

Good morning board good morning staff welcome back to a book session. So I'm going to try and make it in two minutes here. The next election is 90 days away, and I'm recommending that the board review the work of the Elections Advisory Committee and issue a public report on substantive findings for the commission so far. It occurs to me that we have had a primary election in which the current county clerk reporter was reelected by over 70 percent And you know, in some people's mind that might settle things simply because she's been a big advocate of the current system.

And for some people it doesn't and it doesn't settle with me primarily because it's a matter of good governance. The board needs to say something for two reasons. First of all I can imagine the members of the EAC will be willing to serve indefinitely they haven't received a lot of guidelines about What reporting should be about how long their tenure in this commission is going to be. So what are they to think if there's no correspondence with the board and some guidance? Secondly, the voting public needs to understand you know what's happening from your perspective. The board invested itself into the fair elections issue and the EAC has been meeting for almost a year So in 90 days, the public's going to be asked to vote on the California ID initiative.

Which overlaps in large part with some of the work of the EAC so the EIC has no position on this would certainly seem like the public would want some sort of response for all of the work that's been gone into this commission. If I was to think about where we might invest in securing our elections better, you know God forbid we end up with some election interference that we don't really want.

So if you look at the statute for the California electioneering issues it specifically cites that uniformed armed officers shall not be permitted within 200 feet. Mr.

Weed your time has expired

thank you. Are we planning for

that

are we

talking with. You can you can submit the rest of your marks on in writing and we'll take a look at those thank you Sir.

Okay, thank you our next public speaker is Casey Rodriguez followed by Aryaman Pat Hulu and Simon Yow.

Hello everybody as many gather here today and support of our four legged relative Bruce, I first want to thank the many who have volunteered countless hours advocating for him. I also stand here today to remind everyone that urgency we are in the courageous moment to protect the sacredness of all lives an issue rooted from colonization for before colonization the rightful people of this land the Chumash lived in harmony honored our connections to all lives and freely gave what the village needed If we could honor this truth, we could avoid being in such moments as this saving time and resources. Yet sadly too many hearts have become calloused and desperately need to be transformed back to light and love when many feel they hold the right to power over innocent lives it is a call for change with compassion and recognition from the inherent value of every life we can bring a brighter future Earlier, talking about vulnerable people and domestic survivors I in read the question what about those who were raped and died because justice did not find them.

Their families did not deliver such outcomes either the judge has allowed them to just fail Justice for Makayla settles today and always. If justice can truly be delivered in needed cases, maybe we can cut down the need for justice centers. And I don't just stand here giving words but my life is an example of always thinking of others first. Hence why I withdrew from Ventura City Council District 6 race as one rise in politics. I'm aware of the people's danger when too many run for one seat Sacrificing myself and my hard work for the people that is what true leaders do. Thank you.

Thank you, Casey. Our next speaker is Aryaman Pathulu followed by Simon Yao and Rohan Gangadhar.

Good morning, Supervisors of the Ventura County Board. And thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Podium Movement which is a youth advocacy organization that is dedicated to address major issues to better the youth. My name is Arman Putlu and I am a student at Newbury Park High School in Thousand Oaks, and I am here to address the need for more effective mental health resources for our youth.

I will be addressing one of the two propositions of the PODI movement. Many students face rising levels of stress, anxiety and depression due to academic pressures and a variety of other day-to-day items. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically their Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System nearly 40% of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness hopelessness and a variety of other negative feelings that affect the relationships and classroom performances.

And while our schools have invested in mental health services They frequently result or fail to reach those who are struggling in the most high pressure environments. Instead, ultimately the solution we would like to propose is a student-led peer mentorship program. Instead of waiting students to reach the crisis point, we would have experienced upperclassmen with incoming freshmen to provide direct ongoing guidance which include key features like regular check ins, student recognition and targeted support mentors...targeted support This way, by investing in the personalized student-to-student support we can bridge the gap in our current system and ensure that no student feels isolated.

Thank you for your time and service for our community and your consideration of this initiative. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Simon Yao followed by Rohan Gangadhar and Simran Suri

Good morning, supervisors. My name is Simon Yao and I'm a rising sophomore at Newbury Park High School. I am also part of the podium movement for many years students throughout Ventura County have struggled with mental health challenges during their academic careers. I know this because I am one of those students juggling with AP in honors level classes as well as extracurriculars To me, the issue is no longer whether schools recognize that students are struggling.