Recording in progress.

Good morning, everyone.

I'd like to call to order the meeting of the regularly scheduled board meeting of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for Tuesday, October 14th.

I'll ask the clerk to call the role to establish our quorum.

Supervisor Marquez, excuse Supervisor Tam.

Present.

Supervisor Miley, excuse Supervisor Fortunatabas.

Present.

President Howbert.

Present.

We have a quorum.

Thank you very much.

Would you all please join me?

Rise if you can and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge allegiance.

Thank you very much.

Our next item is remarks from the Board of Supervisors.

Do any of my colleagues have remarks to make?

I'll just briefly say go ahead, Supervisor.

Just briefly, I want to acknowledge that is that it is Filipino American Heritage Month, and thank everyone who was involved in the Filipino Island Festival that was uh last weekend in Alameda.

It was really beautiful and well attended.

And myself and Supervisor Marquez will bring forward a proclamation for Filipino American Heritage Month at our next regular meeting on October 28th.

Thank you.

Okay, very good.

We'll move on to the next uh item.

This is public comment on all items on the agenda, except those listed as set matters, which we have at one o'clock, and also I've had a request to hear public comment on item 14.1 at that time, immediately after the set matter.

There's an item that uh is uh very similar to a set matter item.

If anybody would like to make a comment on item 14.1 and they're here in the room at this time, we can do that.

Otherwise, I'm going to ask item 14.1 to be heard in the afternoon.

So for those members in person and for those members online who wish to make public comment on items on the regular calendar, with the exception again of the one o'clock set matters or item 14.1.

We'll ask the clerk to call in-person speakers first and then online speakers rotating three at a time accordingly.

Would the clerk please let me know how many speakers we have um slips for and how many we have online with hands raised?

Four total.

Very good.

Two minutes for each speaker beginning in person first.

The in-person speakers are Brian Schott speaking on item.

Davita Scott speaking on item 15.1.

Good morning.

Today we just wanted to thank Supervisor Miley for his eleven thousand dollar donation for our Thanksgiving drive, which will cover a hundred families.

I just wanted to say thank you because it's so important to say thank you.

Because I wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be here without any of your support, so we're very grateful.

Um, I also wanted to give you guys an update and say thank you to Chief Ford and probation and the research and evaluation unit because through their guidance and direction, they've taught us to collect data for raising leaders, and we had 220 students last night.

I mean, excuse me, last Wednesday in our orientation, and I just wanted to share some data with you.

64% were women, 32% were male.

The uh two top races we have sixty four percent were Latino, 17 percent were African American.

Um, the majority of our students are in high school, 97 percent have never been arrested, 98 percent have never been found guilty of a criminal offense 98 percent have never been involved in probation 98 percent have never been in the foster care system.

Have they ever had any work experience 38 9 percent have not sixty one percent have they ever had an internship 47 percent have not 52 percent have and have they ever had a mentor provide career advice to them 59 percent said yes and 40 percent said no so real shout out to chief forward because he's right it's all in the numbers the data is what backs up what we have in raising leaders so I just wanted to share that with you guys and thank you and I would like to take a picture if possible when Nate gets here okay okay we can we can figure a way to do that next speaker Gina Lewis you're on the line you have two minutes thank you um for the opportunity to speak to you today I come again on item five a regarding the bylaws for the behavioral health or mental health advisory board in my concerns um I've raised these concerns more than once and again this is my second time raising the same concerns here at the board of supervisors meeting um I'm requesting a point of order regarding the chair and why we are not allowed to follow the rules the bylaws the WIC code as to our appointment and in accordance with our appointment and in further research I've even found out that our chair has served now for 11 years running and we're supposed to have a three year term so all of these things if anything is please send the bylaws back to the full committee for a full vote and discussion which is appropriate and in accordance with the welfare and institutions code so please consider that move it remove it from the consent calendar and give the board clear direction when you send it back as to what you want to happen thank you again for the opportunity to speak and I look forward to speaking to some of you individually and your staff members moving forward thank you Kelly you're on the line please state the item you're speaking on you have two minutes.

Whoa all right thank you I'm speaking on I think it's item number seven um the enhancing vision 2026 2036 2036 fund um and what it claims one of the major claims that it makes is geographic equity that it uh directs the funds to all areas of the con uh of the all areas of the con uh county um with geographic and population equity and uh each district gets equal amount of funding because each district has an equal amount of population what a noble noble noble sentiment um that that uh of course I support that and it's a shame it's a shame that district one is underspending its enhancing vision 2036 funds district one has spent less money if you read the report district money one has spent a lot less money uh than any other district and you know what's even worse than that district one is divided evenly between the tri-valley and tri-cities and do you think that the uh enhancing vision funding has been split evenly between those two jurisdictions or two areas uh constituent basis you know are the constituents being served equally you know every single staff member in district one does constituent service but unfortunately the funding for enhancing vision has been disproportionately directed one way and you know where the funding is not going?

It's not going to Fremont.

It's not going to Union City.

It's not going to Newark um so I'd ask uh district 1 to maybe consult a little bit with District 2.

District 2 has been doing a lot better in this department.

Go talk to District 2.

Figure out how do they get this accounting done?

How do they get the balance, the right balance, so that uh the tri-cities are getting served.

Thank you.

No more speakers.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much.

We will again.

Excuse me.

We will recess into closed session at after which time we will come out from closed session, report out any actions taken in closed session, and we will at that time take up our set matters at one o'clock and item 14.1 after that.

Try to get the regular calendar in before then.

So with that, we're going to recess into closed session.

Recording.

Recording in progress.

Alright, the time is now 11:32.

We're going to reconvene our board meeting by asking the clerk to call roll and establish our quorum.

Supervisor Marquez, excuse.

Supervisor Tam present.

Supervisor Miley.

Supervisor Fortunato Bass.

Present.

President Halbert.

Present.

We have a quorum.

Thank you very much.

We will ask our county council to report any reportable action from closed session.

Thank you.

In the matter of Hinkle et al.

v.

Bath at al United States District Court, Northern District of California, case number three colon 18-CV-06430-MMC.

At a closed session session on October 8th, 2024, the board authorized uh settlement in this matter, and this is to report that that case is now settled.

Um it was a non-monetary settlement.

The county agrees to implement and cooperate with the Department of Health Care Services DHCS plan to ensure blind and vision impaired Medical clients receive effective communication.

The Department of Healthcare Services DC DHCS is to pay plaintiff's attorneys fees.

Again, it's a non-monetary settlement for the county.

Um the vote back in October of 2024 was a unanimous vote of supervisors Miley Halbert Tam Marquez and Carson.

That completes my disclosure.

Very good.

Our next item then is item one, the consent calendar, items 51 through 56 on a regular calendar.

Is there a motion to approve the calendar?

Second motion by Supervisor Miley, second by supervisor Tam.

May I have a roll call vote, please?

Supervisor Marquez, excuse Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bass.

Aye.

President Halbert.

Aye.

That item passes.

Thank you very much.

We'll now take up our mass motion.

Mr.

President, I will move items two, three, four, six, seven is continued.

Oh, seven's continued.

Seven is continued.

Oh, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, questions on twenty-six.

Questions on twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight.

Questions on thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-five, forty-six.

Mass motion has been made.

Is there a second?

Motion's been made by Supervisor Tam, second by Supervisor Miley.

Uh, noting that our first question.

It's on item three.

Item three.

Thank you.

So this item is in regards to the Henry Robinson Multi-Service Center in Oakland.

And I do understand that there have been some ongoing concerns, and that the city of Oakland, who I believe is owned this property, is in conversation with the uh service provider Bax about the future of the site.

My specific question is with the termination of this contract.

Can those funds be used for other interim housing in Oakland?

That would be my recommendation, since it was originally dedicated for that purpose.

Thank you, Supervisor Fortunately.

This is not a property where the bed night rate was applicable, it was just flat funding that was given to the Henry Robinson and I Henry Robinson multi-service center.

And it is also my intent to find out what the future plans are.

If the building will be rehabbed or if the residents are still there, or if they've been relocated elsewhere.

Thank you, Director Ford.

I would appreciate if you could let me know via email the result of those conversations and this facility is in my district.

So I'm very interested in hearing uh what the future will be as well as how those funds can be used.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Uh Supervisor Miley, and I have a follow-up question as well.

Yes, if you could inform me as well.

Not because it's in my district, because you know I never stray out of my district.

But because Henry Robinson holds something dear in my heart, uh I was on the city council when we approved it, and I know Supervisor Gail Steele really pushed for the Henry Robinson.

So it's a shame to see you know it it potentially closed down.

So I'd be very interested in knowing the future too.

So thank you.

You're welcome.

Um not that it's in my district, but it's just I'm curious, and I should maybe already know.

How many beds?

Um I think when it was initially opened, it was 220 beds.

I think then it um the bed number was reduced to I think 122, um, and it was occupied by 60 residents from my last update.

So it hasn't been fully utilized in a while.

Um, some of the health and safety issues had to do with mold at the facility.

Um, and so we've had them on a corrective action plan for a few years, and we've worked with past City of Oakland um health and human services directors to try to resolve the issue.

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to resolve it.

I note that um providing these services is a patchwork, a quilt, a collaboration between the county and the city as we look to things.

We know we have measure w funding things, we have ongoing funding for beds, that we just keep cognizant of the holistic solution.

And um this is a loss of resources.

So, how are we going to backfill that?

And um, when we hear perhaps even next week when we're talking more about measure w, that we just be mindful of the fact that the underlying assumptions that were a couple weeks ago maybe are different going forward, it changes the game.

So I I just want to be making sure we keep apples to apples comparisons that we forward of what we have in the system, but we're going to continue to strive to provide with our dollars, who pays for what, and we do our part, they do their part.

It's just a little bit um it's a patchwork.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I apologize for the turniness.

Um when I re read this board letter, um, I also shared concerns.

Of course, we're all working really hard here to protect all of our affordable housing options.

So I'm just wondering if um there's any recommendations moving forward to prevent something like this from happening again.

I did see there was multiple letters sent and a lot of communication, but I'm just wondering if we have to try a different approach with possibly getting board members involved, other elected officials, because I would just hate to see something like this repeat.

So I'm just wondering if there's any feedback on that.

Um the communication has been with the city of Oakland.

Um property or um, yeah, City of Oakland property on the social services agency was just donating funding towards keeping it open.

But the lead was the city of Oakland.

More questions.

Um, just a brief comment.

I will say that um, you know, the City of Oakland owns this building as well as the Holland, uh, both of which are operated by BAX and have provided their old SROs that have been converted, provided a lot of interim housing.

I think this uh is related to the point that we've discussed with our capital improvement plan, which is that when we own buildings, it takes a lot to maintain, and we often don't have enough dedicated resources towards it.

So I think part of this is just years of ongoing maintenance, um, as well as uh the issues that were described in uh the board letter.

My understanding, because I did have an opportunity to check in with the mayor's office, is and my staff has talked with BAX, the issues have been ongoing for some time, so I don't believe any of this, and the termination of the contract is a surprise.

I understand the city of Oakland is talking with BACs to negotiate uh an agreement through the end of this fiscal year, if I remember correctly.

So there is a conversation about the services as well as what it will take, including the costs to do some pretty serious renovations.

Thank you.

Great.

Uh, the next item with questions is I believe is item 26.

Supervisor Miley.

Oh, yes, Mr.

President, members of the board.

Pioneer Cemetery.

How many of you know where Pioneer Cemetery is?

I used to go to Baker Square across the street, it's no longer there.

It was a cool spot.

The Pioneer Cemetery is an unincorporated Alameda County.

Yes, it's the only cemetery that the county owns.

It's where uh a number of historical figures are buried who helped to settle in the unincorporated area.

It's also where paupers are buried who uh were formerly um in unmarked graves at um Fairmont, the old Fairmont Hospital.

It's it's uh, when I became the county supervisor, I didn't realize we have a cemetery, and it was in very much disrepair and it was disgraceful to think.

Uh and I had one of my constituents, um, I'm not recalling her name at the moment.

I know Tona chief of staff will probably recall, but um, who is very active uh in keeping that cemetery um maintained uh because it is historical, uh it's it's a historical site, and over the years we've had other uh efforts and maintaining it, but I've constantly talked to GSA about the importance of maintaining uh that uh cemetery, not you know, not letting the homeless sleep there because homeless were there, trash, garbage, weeds growing up, things of that nature over the years.

And so finally, our present GSA, director, agency director, came through and saved the day.

And so I just want to acknowledge her, her agency for the work that they've been doing to um keep me a happy camper because it's you know the county should not own a cemetery and have it be in a disgraceful uh condition, particularly when it's of historical nature, and it's right near the San Lorenzo High School.

Thank you, Supervisor.

And a lot of credit goes to our building maintenance department.

They repaired the fence at your urging, and they also are maintaining the landscaping and working with the um historical group that has a big interest there.

So we appreciate the feedback.

Wonderful.

Our next item with a question is supervise uh Supervisor Miley, a question on item 28 or comment.

Yes, item 28, once again, GSA to the rescue.

I just want to acknowledge GSA and behavioral health um department, Dr.

Drill in their work on the African American Wellness Umb.

I mean people have been wanting this to come through fruition for I don't know, at least a decade or more.

Um Supervisor Carson, former Supervisor Carson, he was really uh, you know, intimately involved in championing uh this one point we were looking to have the hub in East Oakland, but the site that we were looking at in East Oakland ultimately fell through because um it went for another use.

So it's in it's in West Oakland, it's in the district of the newly elected current supervisor, supervisor Nikki Fortinato Bass, who I've talked to, and he's just gonna step up and make sure we drive this project across the finish line.

So I just want to you know acknowledge the hard work of a lot of people over years, um Dr.

Nobles and and others um working with the county staff, working with behavioral health, um making this happen, and I'm really um thankful that finally uh we're we're gonna be moving forward with the project.

It's my understanding it's gonna take about two years before it's operational.

But in the interim, I know we heard a report yesterday yesterday in the joint committee of the health committee and the so um the public protection committee about the status of the wellness hub, and I think one of my colleagues, same supervisor uh Marquez asked maybe what's gonna happen, or was it dam?

I I can't remember, you know.

A lot of stuff happened.

It's happened between yesterday and now I can't keep up with it all, but they asked about what we're gonna, you know, the interim services and that we're gonna provide while we're waiting for this to become operational.

So we do know that there'll be some interim stuff taking place, and it'll be pretty much, you know, um, a lot of be um uh I don't want to say community driven, but there'll be a lot of uh input around the services based on uh how people feel uh those services should be uh uh delivered and rendered in a you know in a in a um in a manner that is um comfortable and culturally appropriate.

So I just wanted to highlight this because I once again I know Supervisor Carson worked long and hard on it.

My office is uh played a supporting role, and we want to continue to do that uh in support of Supervisor Bass as we drive this project home.

So those are some of my comments.

I note Supervisor Tam has uh questions, comments, and then Supervisor Fortana Bass.

See, as it is her district.

Thank you, President Albert.

Um I just wanted some clarification because uh we have been uh discussing this for a number of years.

Um, and so I I know it's portrayed as going from five million dollars to $35 million, which seems to be like a $30 million increase.

But there are um designated funds for this, and then try to can you help me understand also the the $14 million that we had designated uh for the African American Wellness Center hub, and um how we're we're transitioning that into the part of the overall $35 million cost.

Thank you, Supervisor.

So when we start a project of this magnitude, we come to your board with the initial uh front-end feasibility, construction management, soft costs.

So that was the $5 million initially.

We always knew uh a rough order of magnitude that which this project is coming in um in that $35 million range, but we don't ask for all of that approval up front until we get further along.

But um, as to be prudent, we worked with the county administrator, health care behavioral health, so that they began setting money aside in a designation as we got closer to a ward of construction.

So they did put the 14 million in the designation.

Anyway, and then so there they had uh money already invested for the original five million.

They had another 14 million set aside, and now they're putting the remainder of the funding.

All of those funds now will be in the capital fund that is uh managed by GSA in partnership with the CAO's office for this project.

So this is all part of our capital improvement project budget efforts, right?

Yes, it's in the capital plan, and they're using a variety of um behavioral health funding sources, including mental health services act funding.

Okay, thank you.

Supervisor Fortana Bass.

Thank you, Chair Halbert.

Um, I just wanted to echo um appreciation to Supervisor Carson for his vision and tenacity in bringing this wellness hub to life and also um appreciate my colleagues, Supervisor Nate Miley for his support and uh very active engagement in this process in this process together with our staff and many many community partners.

Um, this is certainly a milestone to be approving this funding to get uh the building constructed so there will be a home for the wellness hub, and I want to reiterate both my personal support as well as my staff support in doing everything possible to bring this uh wellness hub to life.

Um I also want to note uh that this is part of addressing the racial inequities that our AC health agency has been so um comprehensive about highlighting in terms of um how health disparities impact our African American community, uh not only physical health, also mental health, as well as uh the work that is being done around care first jails last and reimagining adult justice to ensure that there is comprehensive care um in the community, and of course, this wellness hub, while it will be in West Oakland is really about serving the entire county and community, and so this really is a hub for um all of Alameda County.

Um I did also just want to note that in South Berkeley there are similar efforts for a physical African American holistic wellness center, and then just learned recently that Contra Costa County is building an African American wellness network, it won't have a physical space per se because they're covering the entire county in Contra Costa, but it's more of a network.

So I think these operations are really exciting to see.

I hear our staff is already engaged with those other efforts, and I look forward to uh not only being supportive but also being very engaged and active to support this coming to fruition.

Thank you.

Very good.

Our next item is 38.

Again, question, Supervisor Miley.

Okay, so I didn't have a chance to ask the probation chief.

I don't know if he's here, maybe GSA can answer it.

I'm just trying to understand uh with um geo telink corporation, it's a sole source, and I looked at the board letter likes I forgot to ask.

So there's no other provider that can provide this service.

So this procurement is not under GSA's uh it's under that's correct.

Probation, all right.

Well, probation is not here.

Can we pull this and take it up uh at our next regularly schedule meeting?

Because I need to understand uh why it's the sole source.

I just want to be comforted with that.

Uh because you know, Supervisor Marquez and I, we police these things through procurement and contracting, and just don't want to have anything slip by us.

So before we continue it, can we just check to see if the chief is online?

So we'll continue it to your meeting of October 28th.

Would the maker of the motion agree to continue item 38?

Yes, that's fine.

The secondary.

Yes, okay.

Okay, the mass motion's been adjusted, then to continue item 38.

Seeing no other questions or comments on the mass motion.

A motion's been made by Supervisor TAM.

Second by Supervisor Miley.

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bass.

Aye.

President Halbert.

Aye.

So then which other items do we have?

We have ordinances.

So the first one is uh item five.

It's a first reading of amendments to the administrative code and bylaws related to proposition one, the behavioral health services act, and the behavioral health advisory board.

Mr.

President, I have some questions on this.

Before we have a motion, let's uh ask and answer questions, Supervisor TAM.

Um thank you, President Halbert.

So this item was continued from the September 9th board meeting, and um as I go through the ordinance and the amendments, uh the original intent was to basically capture uh by amending the ordinance or the mental health health care advisory board um the changes that are necessary under proposition one the behavioral health services act, uh formerly known as the Mental Health Care Services Act, and uh I'm just trying to understand given some of the comments that we received at the prior meeting and then uh at this meeting, um how the existing ordinance is being enforced and monitored because through our provisions, for example, that the chairperson gets elected by the members of the advisory board, but they shall preside for two years, and then we had heard that um the chair had been in place for 11 years.

So, how are these um provisions within the ordinance monitored?

Uh good morning, Supervisor Zanika Chowdery Interim Director for Alameda County Health.

Um, I think that some of the uh as you see in the ordinance, one of the things with regard to the number of terms of the board members was also clarified in this round.

Um so I think that on the go forward, there's opportunity for the Mental Health Advisory Board to monitor those a little bit more closely.

Um, because my understanding is that perhaps it was not as clear in the previous version.

Um so uh the other thing is is that um this has followed the process for the mental health advisory board, including going through their ad hoc committee for updating the bylaws, was then reviewed by the entire board.

Um and we have some other contextual information on you know the person making the complaints, but some of it has to do with uh internal board dynamics, uh, but as far as the process goes, the process was followed.

Um, the ad hoc committee through the ad hoc committee and then through the full mental health advisory board, and all board members were given an opportunity to review and provide input before it was passed.

And and they had no issues with the fact that some of the provisions of the ordinance didn't seem like it was enforced.

Uh it's my understanding that those things were not raised during the process of uh going through the approval of the okay.

I I'm just saying that if we have an ordinance in place and then we're trying to make amendments to the ordinance so that we can be contemporary with um new law like proposition one, um, we might want to make sure that the existing ordinance is in place and that's being complied with.

It's to my understanding the uh people have been in compliance with the ordinance, and in terms of the term limits, that was something that was an additional clarification that was added in this version.

So there would be on the go forward uh ability to monitor that more closely.

Okay.

Thank you for that clarification.

Any other questions or comments?

Supervisor Marquez.

Yeah, I just wanted to ask um a clarifying question.

My understanding is the bylaws um were heard at the commission several times, but then uh a version went to county council, and then county council obviously reviews, and that's what gets included in our packet.

Do we have a standard practice that after county council's vetting it goes back to the commission or is this is that just our common practice that that's the final step and then it comes here and obviously it's a public document, so anyone could weigh in in what's included in our agenda packet.

Uh yes, so the practice is that it goes to council for final review, um, and then that's generally is what gets up.

And council's formal review is just like is this legally um are we within the within legal provisions, correct?

You're just really vetting it for so we we are yeah, I mean we are required to review all ordinances and sign off on them and ordinances and resolutions as a condition of them being placed on your board calendar, and so generally it's a legal review.

Um, there are times when we will give additional feedback, but ultimately it's up to the sponsoring department who is bringing the board letter forward, what they ultimately present to you.

Okay.

Again, we just are advisory, but we will point out different things, and there are times when we go back to the department and give feedback, and the department may want to do additional things.

Um, so it varies depending on what the issues are that we see or identify.

But if we don't make any changes and we just sign off, then um it wouldn't come back.

Okay, thank you for that clarification.

Very good.

A motion's been made and seconded.

Questions asked and answered?

It's an ordinance.

We have to have a motion's not been made.

We have to read the title and then supervisor can ordinance amending chapter 2.68 of the Alameda County Administrative Code to revise requirements relating to the behavioral health advisory board.

I will move to waive the full first reading and introduce the ordinance to amend the county's administrative code, changing the title to medical health care advisory board to the behavioral health care advisory board and make necessary changes in conformance with proposition one.

Is there a second to that motion?

Motion's been made by Supervisor Tam, second by Supervisor Miley.

Roll call vote, please.

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam?

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas.

Aye.

President Halbert.

Aye.

Item 31's an ordinance.

Ordinance is item 31 is the second reading of salary ordinance amendments.

And administrative ordinance.

The title of the first ordinance is an ordinance approving the August 6, 2024 through August 26, 2028 memorandum of understanding with the Alameda County Management Employees Association Units R 51 and R 52.

The title of the second ordinance is an ordinance amending certain provisions of the 2024 through 2025 County of Alameda salary ordinance.

Oh, second.

Motion's been made by Supervisor Miley, seconded by Supervisor Tam.

And that's on both of them.

Supervise um item 32 A and B.

A and B, yes.

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley?

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas.

Aye.

President Halbert.

Aye.

Item 33 is the first reading of salary ordinance amendments, adjusting salaries represented by uh ACMIA and also for unrepresented district attorney classifications.

In ordinance amending certain provisions of the 2024 through 2025 County of Alameda salary ordinance.

We would weigh the balance of the full second reading.

First reading.

This is 33, right?

This is the first reading.

Oh, which one are we on?

33.

Oh, we're on 33, not 32.

Okay.

33 then.

Okay, so move to weigh the balance of the full first reading.

The ordinance and move forward's introduction.

Second.

Motion's been made by Supervisor Miley, seconded by Supervisor Tam.

Roll call vote, please.

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas.

Aye.

President Haubert.

Aye.

That completes our ordinances.

No, you have one more ordinance.

Second reading of uh traffic regulations in the unincorporated area, item 44.

An ordinance amending chapter one relating to traffic regulations, county highways of Title Six relating to vehicles and traffic of the Alameda County Public Works ACPW traffic code.

Mr.

President, I'll move to wave the full second reading and adopt the ordinance relating to traffic regulations as described under item 44.

Second.

Very good.

And items uh been moved by Supervisor Tam, second by Supervisor Miley, seeing as how these pertain to Supervisor Miley's district and supervisor's district.

That's very appropriate.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Supervisor Marquez.

Hi.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas.

Aye.

President Halbert.

Aye.

President Halbert.

That concludes the ordinances.

The chief probation officer is present now if you want to entertain item 38, which you had continued.

Let's do that.

Welcome.

Can I make a brief comment while we're waiting for Chief Ford?

Um I wanted to bring this up during.

I just wanted to state that my office has been in communication with some individuals that uh were just kind of disappointed in the process, so just want to let them know that although we adopted the ordinance for the name change, my office takes their concerns seriously and we will be in contact.

It's not completely related to the action we took, but it is um a kind of companion piece.

I just wanted to state that publicly because I know we had some public comments earlier on that.

Thank you.

Okay, very good.

I note that there's uh questions from Supervisor and uh welcome Mr.

Ford.

Perhaps you can provide some commentary.

Morning, I'm yeah, I hadn't had a chance to check in with your office.

Um's on vacation, so the um, you know, who handles protection matters, public matters.

So, uh the global Tell Link Corporation, uh the Falls Church, Virginia.

I need to understand with this uh to provide telephone service uh systems maintenance in the probation department and juvenile facilities.

Uh why is this a sole source?

This is a sole source because we um didn't have the ability to secure a contract with a local vendor.

This has been the provider for our us for probably about I think since 2022, I believe it is, uh, and we're only asking for uh contract extension so that we could update actually our system to allow phone calls to be made via tablets.

Okay, and so after this amendment, do you anticipate needing to do this further?

No, so after this amendment we anticipate pushing out a new RFP because we will uh then allow phone calls to be made via tablets versus the the phones that are essentially on the wall that used to be pay phones, but to uh the current vendor right now is providing that services but want providing that service, but once we transition to the tablets, we will no longer have use for the phones on the walls.

I see.

Okay.

I want to say pay phones, but they're not pay phones anymore at this point because the phone calls are free.

Okay.

So that's the justification for the sole source amendment.

Yes.

That's justification for the sole source amendment.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

I guess I'm okay with it.

Okay.

Okay.

Supervisor Miley.

Will you then like to make a motion to approve that item?

Okay.

I'll move item 38.

Second.

Motion's been moved by Supervisor Miley, second by Supervisor Marquez to approve item 38.

38 or 28?

38.

Roll call vote, please.

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bass.

Aye.

President Howbert?

Aye.

Very good.

With that, we will take a brief break until one o'clock.

At one o'clock, we will.

So we're going to recess then.

At one o'clock, we will return to take up the set matter items listed as one o'clock set matters, which is item 47, 48, 49.

We will also take up item 14.1.

We are now recessed.

Recording.

Recording in progress.

Good afternoon, everyone.

We're going to resume our board meeting.

We have a couple of items from this morning that we still need to take care of.

Yeah, let's do roll call first and establish our quorum.

Supervisor Marquez present.

Supervisor Tam.

Present.

Supervisor Miley.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas.

Present.

President Howbert.

Present.

We have a quorum.

Great.

We're all here.

Supervisor Tam, can you make a motion then on item 5B?

Yes.

So to clarify, we had passed 5A.

So I will also move 5B to approve the proposed revisions to the Alameda County Behavioral Health Advisory Boards by Loss.

That is listed in 5B.

Motion's been made.

Motion made by Tam.

Could we have a roll call vote, please?

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Aye.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas.

Aye.

President Haubert.

Aye.

Item 32.

We need the title, Red.

We need to read the title of the ordinance into the record.

An ordinance amending the June 25th, 2023 through July 3rd, 2027 Memorandum of Understanding between the Alameda County Management Employees Association, General Government Unit, and the County of Alameda.

The second reads an ordinance amending certain provisions of the 2024 through 2025 County of Alameda salary ordinance.

Mr.

President, I will move to waive the full second reading and adopt your ordinance amending the June 25, 2023 through July 3rd, 2027 MOU between the County and ACMIA as listed in 32A.

And I will move to waive the full second reading and adopt the salary ordinance amendment to update pay schedule as listed in 32B.

Motion's been made by Supervisor Tam, second by Supervisor Miley.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Supervisor Marquez.

Hi.

Supervisor Tam.

Aye.

Supervisor Miley.

Supervisor Fortunato Bass.

Aye.

President Howbert.

Aye.

Very good.

That moves us then to the one o'clock set matters.

The first item is proclaiming October 2025 as National Arts and Humanities Month and recognizing the 2025 Arts Leadership Award winners.

I also understand that item 50 is to authorize a commendation for the six recipients of the 2025 Alameda County Arts Leadership Awards recognition.

I'll recommend that we take these items together.

And if that's okay with my colleagues.

In our district, and so I'll ask that each of us read our individual arts winner at the appropriate time.

The first one, however, will be the National Arts and Humanities Month of October 2025.

And I would like to read into the record, whereas Alameda County strongly supports National Arts and Humanities Month of October, the largest annual celebration for the arts and humanities in the nation, recognized by states, counties, and cities throughout the United States for three decades.

Whereas the county celebrates the arts and humanities because they create connections, promote well-being, and make our society healthier and stronger, whereas community organizations and businesses focusing on the arts and humanities support our local, state, and national economy by creating opportunities and jobs, and whereas important legal local efforts to support the arts and humanities are advanced by the Alameda County Arts Commission's programs and initiatives, such as the Alameda County City Level Arts Partnership Network, which includes city arts commissions and count councils throughout the county.

And whereas during the month of October, Alameda County celebrates 2025, celebrates the 2025 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award recipients and their essential leadership roles in arts and cultural organizations that enhance the quality of life for all community members in Alameda County.

Now, therefore, be it resolved this Board of Supervisors, Alameda County State of California.

Do you hereby proclaim October 25 as National Arts and Humanities Month in the County of Alameda, and we recognize the 2025 County Arts Leadership Award Recipients.

And I believe we have our county arts commissioner with us, Rachel.

Would you come say a few words?

Yes, I would be happy to.

Good afternoon.

My name is Rachel Osajima.

I'm the director of the Alameda County Arts Commission.

President Halbert, members of the board, thank you so very, very much for your ongoing leadership and support in arts, culture, and creativity.

And I just really sincerely appreciate everything you do, and we're excited that you're going to be giving commendations to the Arts Leadership Award recipients.

Additionally, I want to thank the auditor controller, clerk recorder Melissa Wilk for her support and leadership.

And I want to take a moment to also appreciate County Administrator Susan Marineshi for her support.

So we have a wonderful group of appointed arts commissioners that work with us, and a few of them have been are here today.

So I wanted to acknowledge them.

We have Margaret Thornberry, representing District One, and Lucia Shukla, representing District 4.

And then I'd like to invite um, oh, and also we have county agency directors who serve in their seats with Kimberly Gassaway and Sandy Rivera.

Thank you all.

So I'd like to invite um Winda Shimizu, who's the chairperson of the Arts Commission representing District 4 to say a few words.

Thank you, Rachel.

The supervisors, my name is Wendy Shimisu.

I'm the chair of the Alameda County Arts Commission, a long time resident of Castro Valley, supporting nonprofits like the Castrovalley Foundation of the Arts and Castroales Art Inc.

I'm also the executive director of Hayward Arts Council.

On behalf of all the appointed members of the Arts Commission, I would like to thank you for this proclamation.

Thank you for supporting the belief that arts, culture, and creativity are essential to our successful and thriving communities.

We're happy to be here today to celebrate national arts and humanities month.

And the 2025 Arts Leadership Award recipients.

We all look forward to continuing to work with you all to support the arts community and everyone throughout Alameda County.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I know it's not easy being a commissioner, but thank you for taking the time to do that.

I'm hoping that you'll just hold on to the commendation and then after I mean, hold on to the proclamation, and then after all the commendations will come down to a grid photo.

That's a great idea.

Okay.

Then the proclamations then for the um leadership awards.

We're going to now present leadership awards.

These are members of the Alameda County, us members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will recognize six recipients.

There's five districts.

We have six recipients.

That means there was a tie in district number five.

Each recipient will be receiving a commendation.

It's a very nice looking commendation.

And it states that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors presents this in recognition of your dedication to the arts as a 2025 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award recipient.

The award is given to individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions, positively impacting the arts community and the residents of Alameda County, thereby promoting the belief that the arts are essential to every successful and thriving community.

Because I'm from District One, I get to award.

And the Arts Leadership Award recipient for District One is Doris Green.

Doris, I'm just going to read a little bit about you, if that's okay.

Doris has been part of the Fremont Arts community for over 40 years as a dedicated volunteer and organizational leader.

Doris has served in many leadership roles at the Fremont Cultural Arts Council, including board president, fundraising chairman, volunteer coordinator, and facility manager.

Throughout her years of service, Doris has supported the Arts Council's mission to further the arts in Fremont in the Fremont community.

As a musician and music teacher, Doris is also a strong supporter of the Bay Philharmonic, which is formerly known as the Fremont Symphony.

She served on the board and as board president of both the Bay Philharmonic and its Guild, which supports the Bay Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and brings music to diverse communities.

Doris, thank you for all you do to support the visual and performing arts in Fremont and throughout Alameda County.

Thank you.

I'd like to say a few words.

Being nominated for this wonderful award, and being chosen was a great surprise to me.

A great surprise.

For all the years that I have been involved with the arts, I've received thank yous, and I've really become other thanks.

But this was like the Nobel Prize.

This was the top one.

This was great.

And it reminds me of so many things that I was involved with, and so many people I have worked with over the years.

And one thing stands out mostly with me, and that is the people that you work with in the arts are volunteers, and they give their time and their money, and they're wonderful to work with.

And I've decided that that's the best group of people there are.

Volunteers.

So thank you very much for thinking of me and for the surprise.

Yes, the surprise, unexpected surprise that you gave me, and for your work with the arts and keep it up.

Doris, thank you.

We're gonna bring this down to you in just a minute.

We're gonna go through all of them.

We're gonna go District 2 and 3.

And so now uh district two, Supervisor Marquez, you're going to be offering your leadership a year.

Congratulations.

It's now my honor to acknowledge the Arts Leadership Award recipient for District 2, which is Jayandra Singh.

Jayandra, who is known as Jay, is a dedicated community volunteer who supports the arts, education, and local nonprofit organizations that serve the Hayward area and beyond.

Jay supports the arts community by volunteering with the Hayward Arts Council and Art Inc.

as a board member of the Hayward Arts Council.

He helps curate artwork exhibitions, including an online exhibit of artwork from India.

As a board member of the Art Inc., Jay serves as the membership chair, webmaster, and assist with exhibitions.

Jay has also been a longtime board member and treasurer of the Hayward Literacy Plus Council and a volunteer with several other community service organizations organizations.

Jay, I appreciate you being such a dedicated Hayward community member who is truly helping our youth, our families, and our entire community.

Thank you for your commitment and your service in enhancing our community.

Thank you, Jay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I am deeply honored to receive this Alameda County Arts Leadership Award.

My sincere thanks to the Alameda County District Supervisors and my district supervisor, Elisha.

And the Alameda County Arts Director Rachel for the meaningful work you do to promote art and artist in Alameda County.

The award is both humbling and motivating.

It reaffirms my commitment to work with the Bay Area artist, help them showcase their art in galleries and different shows.

I am grateful for the support and inspiration for those who made this journey possible.

I want to recognize uh Winnie Thompson and Jerry Thompson, along with the other board members of Art Inc.

have nominated me for this award.

I also want to acknowledge my brother, Ratner Singh, who's present here.

He supports me in every venture I undertake to help the citizens in my community.

Thank you once again for the honor.

I will contribute to I will continue to contribute to the values that Alameda County Arts Commission upholds.

Thank you very much.

Supervisor Tam.

Thank you, President Halbert.

I also wanted to thank the Art Commission and Rachel for helping us organize these amazing arts leadership award.

In District Three, the Arts Leadership Award recipient goes to Eric Murphy.

So Eric is an artist, an exhibition curator and artist advocate, has been part of the Oakland Arts community for over 25 years.

He began his career supporting local artists while working at the Oakland Pro Arts Gallery.

And from 2012 to 2014, Eric worked at the Joyce Gordon Gallery as a gallery curator and director.

As an independent curator, Eric works on many projects, including satellite exhibitions from the Art of the African Diaspora and projects at Studios 11 and the Grand Gallery at Jack London Square, where he recently exhibited paintings by Oakland's legendary percussionist, Pete Escovito.

Eric also exhibits his artwork and creates a line of Oakland shirts in various languages.

Throughout his career, Eric has been committed to supporting the work of Oakland's diverse artists.

So Oakland, thank you, Oakland and Eric, thank you very much for all that you do to support the arts community and especially throughout our county.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So I just want to say I spent years observing individuals and groups, serve their community and nominated them for this very award.

And six of them actually received awards.

And it's actually interesting now to be on the other side of the nomination table for my 25 years in public art.

So I want to thank everybody that nominated me for this award.

Also, want to thank the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for recognizing this day and also as awardees to Supervisor Lena Town.

Um it's an honor to have and continue to serve in your district of District 3.

Uh, thank you to Rachel Sajima, Amy Stimmel, Rosa Valdez, Violet Juno, Margaret, Wenda, and everybody from the Alameda County Arts Commission.

Thank you for all your hard work in doing this and making sure everybody's recognized every year.

Um I want to thank all my family and friends who came out to uh support me uh today.

And lastly, I just want to congratulate all the awardees.

It's an honor to be celebrating this moment with you.

Thank you.

Supervisor Miley.

Yes, thank you.

I also want to acknowledge Rachel and the Art Commission and others.

And you know, quite frankly, you know, Rachel knows that sometimes we have to defend the expenditures we put into the arts.

So we do have some constituents that think we could use money a little bit um uh differently, but I tell them, you know, what would a society be without the arts?

So I'm constantly pushing back on folks who don't believe in the arts.

So anyway, so I want to acknowledge Ashara Ukadara, Ukadaru.

Is that how you pronounce it?

Okay, thank you.

Asara is a black, feminist, multidisciplinary, independent curator of contemporary art, visual maker, archivist, cultural theogen, arts organizer, and consultant quite a bit.

Her creative practice is rooted in joy and form pedagogies and the study, creation, and maintenance of black archives.

In the Tristian of cultural, artistic action and dynamic imagination.

She also conjures collaborative site responsive ceremony and utilizes artistic based strategies to illuminate the specific expertise of black women of the African diaspora.

She is the founder, curator, executive, creative director of artists as first responder.

A collective platform that utilizes exhibition, curator, curatorial residences, public forums, and archives to center the work of artists whose essential creative practices heal communities and save lives.

Thank you for your dedicated and compassionate work in our community.

Good afternoon, thank you.

So peace and gratitude, everyone.

I just want to take a moment to thank the Alameda County Arts Commission for this recognition.

Uh, to you all the supervisors, to our nominators and our beloved community at visual and performing artists, creative practitioners, healers, and educators who are my muses, my guides, uh, my mentors, and my friends.

Many of them are sitting here in the room with us today.

I want to in particular thank the Artists as First Responder Collective.

We are honored to create and hold space for imagination, experimentation, um, curiosity, and rest in District 4 and throughout Alameda County and beyond.

Particular thanks to our collective members, Xanda Shea Brown, Sam McGuinness, Christian Walker, Itafita, Marcella Sanchez, McQueen Jones, and my partner Dr.

Angela Wellman.

Thankful to my ancestors and the spirits of this land, the continued stewards of this land who allow me to walk and create here, and to my esteemed colleagues and comrades.

I bow to you.

And free Palestine.

Supervisor Fortunata Bass.

Thank you.

So District 5 had a tie, so I get to introduce two people who we are commending.

And I want to first thank Rachel and the arts commissioners.

Artists and culture keeper keepers help us envision the world that we wish we could live in.

And so thank you to all of you for providing us that imagination.

I will first introduce the Arts and Leadership Award to District 5 for District 5 to Alex Jaga Sousa.

Alex.

Alex, he was known as Jaga, is a leader of the Afro-Brazilian artistic community in Oakland and the Bay Area.

He has worked hard to bring healing to the Brazilian diaspora and the BIPOC and immigrant communities through the arts.

Jagga was a coordinator and program manager for the Wellness and Action Fellowship administered by the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants, or Siri.

He manages a grassroots percussion ensemble, and for over 17 years, Jaga has been an instructor at the International Capoeira Angola Foundation, located in West Oakland, which is dedicated to the practice, preservation, and growth of Capoeira Angola, an African-Brazilian art form combining dancing, martial arts, acrobatics, and live music.

Jaga, I want to express my appreciation for all of your contributions to the community members you serve.

Thank you.

I would like to start say thank you to God.

Thank you for my roots, my reaches, my beliefs.

Thank all my family.

Thank all my friends and the people that are watching me online aboard in different countries.

Thank you, the Alameda County Arts Commission.

Thank you, the Alameda County Boards of Supervise as well.

It's feeling very good, and I feel honored to be here and then to be nominated to get that award.

I do like to say thank you for my friend Diego, who suggests me to be part of this, and they suggest my name to be select to get that award.

I feel honored as I said, but I want to really recognize all the other leaders here, all the work that you guys do, and the who came before me as well.

Yeah, I cannot forget that.

And then who came before?

This is very important to say.

And I feel so grateful for being here.

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.

The second Arts Leadership Award recipient for District Five is presented to Amara Tabor Smith.

Amara is a choreographer, performance maker, cultural worker, and the artistic director of Deep Waters Dance Theater.

Her interdisciplinary, site responsive, and community specific performance making practice utilizes Yoruba spiritual technologies to address issues of social and environmental justice, race, gender identity, homefulness, and belonging.

Amara creates performance experiences and collaboration with her Oakland communities with the intention of cultivating mutual understanding, building deeper relationships, and inspiring collective healing.

Amara, thank you so much for your vision, dedication, and leadership.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon, everyone, and I just uh want to first start by saying how humbled I am and to be in such amazing company with the other awardees that are doing such powerful work in Oakland.

So thank you.

Um I want to thank the supervisors, all of you for um not only this award, but for all of the stewarding that you do on behalf of us who live in Oakland.

Um I want to thank the Alameda County Commission and that continues to support the arts even in these challenging times.

And uh most importantly, I am grateful to my beloved Oakland community to being a part of this city that I have called home for 30 years.

Um born and raised in San Francisco, but it's Oakland that raised me as an artist and cultural worker.

Um, and my Oakland community that continues to inspire me and holds me accountable and is my greatest collaborators, and it is first and foremost my Oakland community that I make my work and performance practice in service of our collective joy, healing, well-being, and homefulness.

And so I thank you again, everyone, for this honor.

Okay, I'm gonna recommend at this time, Rachel, that we have the um commissioners come up and take a photo with um the entire board, and then that each recipient can take an individual photo with each supervisor, and then we can take a group photo if we want.

Okay, so let's all go down and bring your individual leadership award with you as we come down and take a few photos, and Yes, y'a.

Now is a chance for members of the public to make comment on this item.

This would be on item forty-seven, proclaiming October twenty-five as National Arts and Humanities Month, and also public comment on item fifty, which is the um Alameda County Arts Leadership Awards.

We'll take in-person speakers first, and then online.

Laura, you're on the line.

You have two minutes.

Un momento.

We're gonna put up the translation.

Ready, go ahead.

Eden Power Collective and Padres Ridos.

Gracias for the opportunity.

So it's for a different item.

Um, Laura, if you could wait until that item is called.

If anybody would like to raise your hand if you're online for item fifty or item forty-seven.

Those are the items were on forty-seven, the Arts National Arts Month, and fifty, the six recipients of the Alameda County Arts Leadership Award.

Ms.

I mean, petitions sobre la recursos, my funds for the line of respuesta rapid and para petitions.

Vicky, I'm sorry, this is uh this is not the time for that item.

And um, we'll ask everybody to unraise their hands.

Let's unraise everybody's hand for now.

Do we have any in-person in the room to speak?

Okay.

Okay.

Um, then public comment on item forty-seven and Supervisor Marquez.

Uh and um, with that said, I would like to turn the microphone over to Supervisor Marquez to celebrate, recognize Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month celebration.

Thank you, uh, President Howard.

Uh, bienvenidos, and welcome everyone.

I'm really excited to present item number forty eight, which is a proclamation, uh, declaring September fifteenth through October fifth as Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month.

We are days away from October 15th, but we got it in just in time.

But just know that the board has been honoring our Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Latinx employees and community the entire month.

But today I'd like to declare that Alameda County is enriched by a diverse community made up of residents from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds who bring strength and vibrancy to the county.

And this annual observance of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month from September 15th through October 15th allows us an opportunity to honor and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities for their social, cultural, economic vitality that they provide to Alameda County and the entire country.

Hispanic Americans have played an integral role in shaping our nation's identity through leadership and public service, business, education, science, the arts, labor, military service, and community building, strengthening the foundation of our democracy.

Hispanic and Latinx Californians make up nearly 40% of the state's population and are essential to California's strength and prosperity, contributing to the workforce, nurturing families, enriching culture, and building vibrant communities across the state.

Through ongoing education and cultural events and community engagement, we have the opportunity to celebrate the many rich heritages of Hispanic and Latinx residents and reaffirm our commitment to supporting all community members amid ongoing challenges to equity and opportunity.

In 2025, the Board of Supervisors recognize the importance of celebrating and honoring the achievements, the resilience and heritage of Hispanic Americans, while also recommitting to advancing equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all residents, ensuring that Alameda County continues to be a place where all can thrive regardless of your background or circumstances.

Now therefore the Alameda County Board of Supervisors hereby proclaims September 15th through October 15th, 2025, as Hispanic Heritage Month in Alameda County, and encourages all residents to honor the significant contributions of the Hispanic and Latinx communities as well as to honor the commitment and positive impact the Hispanic Latinx County employees create throughout the year.

So I just want to say some personal words.

You know, our community has been under attack with this new federal administration, so it's really important that we uplift one another and we say and reaffirm that we honor you, you belong here, and thank you for providing the services you do in protecting the safety net for the entire county.

I want to thank President Halbert for partnering with my office to author this proclamation.

We reached out to department heads to ask them to nominate one honoree in the department.

So President Halbert will read the department, your name, and then uh our team will share accommodation that's been made for each one of you with a small uh appreciation gift that President Halbert and I paid out of pocket.

County wouldn't allow us to do this for you, but we care deeply about you.

So we paid out of pocket and it's um a talvera mugs for you to make uh canela, cafecito, chocolate, but we just wanted to give you a small token of our appreciation.

So each one of you will be getting one of these beautiful um mugs from Mexico and just thank you all for the tremendous work that you do on behalf of all of the residents in Alameda County.

And I'll ask President Halbert to read off the names and please come up and join um Brendan Janae up here, and we'll take a group photo after.

Thank you all for everything you do.

Marquez, great job.

And in fact, I want to give you the credit for putting this wonderful uh gift together.

Uh, and it's my honor to um share in this recognition.

We have several, I think 16 or so employees from each department, one from each department.

I'll read off their names and they'll come up and receive their gift.

And the first is from the sheriff's office, Annie Espinoza.

Come on down.

And from our fire department, Brenda Farrier.

Ferrier.

The Treasurer's Office, Elvia Quirogo.

They even phonetically spelled it, and I can't quite get it.

From the Human Resource Services, J.

Martin Rodriguez Corral.

From the public defender's office, James B.

Rodriguez.

From our county council's office, Jamuna Ruiz, Ruiz.

From our community development agency, Lucha Romo.

Lucia.

From the General Services Agency, Mariana Rodriguez.

From the Assessor's Office, Mona Barra Gibson.

And from Child Support Services, Roxana Hernandez.

Thank you.

Let's give them all a huge round of applause for their representing diversity in our community and celebrating our culture.

If all of you can please join us at the bottom along with all the supervisors, and we're going to take a group photo, and then you can get your token appreciation on the way out.

Thank you all for being here.

Now's a chance for members of the public to weigh in on this item if they would.

You know, let's do this item with fourteen point one.

Yeah.

Our next item, and we will come back for public comment on this item, but for item forty-nine is Supervisor Tam proclaiming the third week of October as National Hunter Syndrome Awareness Week, the third week of October.

Thank you, President Halbert.

I appreciate this opportunity to proclaim the third week of October as National Hunter Syndrome Awareness Week.

Hunter Syndrome, also known as MPS two.

Okay.

If we could just um exit the room if we need, or um pay respect to Supervisor Tam for her item by being quiet.

Brenda, can you guys go to the lobby?

Yeah.

Supervisor Tim, the floor is yours.

Thank you again.

Uh appreciate the opportunity to proclaim the third week of October as National Hunter Syndrome Awareness Week.

Hunter syndrome, also known as MPS two, mucopolysacchario dosas type two is a rare genetic disorder affecting approximately one in a hundred thousand to a hundred and seventy thousand lives that are male births worldwide.

Hunter syndrome is often caused by a deficiency when an individual's body doesn't properly break down certain sugar molecules, resulting in the harmful accumulation of complex sugars in the body, and also leads to progressive damage to organs and systems, including the brain.

Early diagnosis and intervention are critical to improving the quality of life and outcomes for individuals affected by Hunter syndrome.

And increased public and medical awareness can lead to earlier diagnosis, better treatment options, and expanded research efforts through potential therapies and cues.

By recognizing National Hunter Syndrome Awareness Week, it will help honor the strength and the resilience of individuals and families living with the disease, promoting public education and advanced critical research effort.

This awareness also reflects the county's vision 2036 ten times goal to increase the availability and accessibility of health and supportive services to meet the needs of residents at risk.

We have um Miriam Pedrosa, who is a mother, caregiver, and advocate for her son Adam, who has Hunter syndrome, and also representing Project Alive.

So thank you for your dedication and efforts to bring awareness to Hunter Syndrome and um we will present the proclamation.

Is she able to come?

Thank you.

Please say a few words and then we will all go down and make a presentation.

Hi.

I'm Miriam Pedroza.

This is my son Adam, who has Hunter syndrome.

And this is Mario Esteves.

He's also a father of another Hunter syndrome boy.

Good afternoon.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak today.

And more importantly, thank you for efficiently recognizing the third week of October as Hunter Syndrome Awareness Week here in our community.

This resolution may seem like a small step, but to the families affected by Hunter syndrome, it means the world.

Your support shines a light on a rare and often overlooked condition.

One that profoundly impacts the lives of children and families across the country.

What is Hunter syndrome?

Hunter syndrome or MPS2 is a rare and progressive genetic disorder that primarily affects young boys.

Caused by a missing or malfunctioning enzyme, it leads to the buildup of harmful substances to the body.

The buildup causes damage to organs, bones, and the brain, often resulting in shortened life expectancy and a steady decline in health and abilities.

And you're also sending a powerful message that rare diseases deserve visibility, compassion, and action through this resolution.

Though this resolution is local, it serves as a foundation for something greater, a step toward recognition at the state level, where awareness and advocacy can reach even more families and decision makers.

I think it's also important to note that rare disease families and rare disease patients are often uh on the front lines of medical research.

Um acting almost as guinea pigs, if you will, for the greater community.

Hunter syndrome is one of the very few rare diseases that actually has treatment available and treatments in the queue.

And so this is not only important for our families, uh, but for really the future of healthcare at large.

Uh, we're on the uh front lines of cutting edge technology, uh super important, not just to folks in the right disease community, but to the greater community as well.

So uh in closing, thank you for standing with the ray disease community for listening, for acknowledging and for acting.

This resolution may mark a single week in October, uh, but its impact lasts far longer.

Let this be the beginning of a continued momentum toward understanding equity and health care and ultimately a future where no child no child's condition is too rare to matter.

Really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you for your advocacy, and we will present the proclamation.

Know that you are not alone.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Stand by for a photo, are there any public comment speakers for item 49?

No speakers.

Okay.

Let's go back to item 48.

I understand there's a speaker that would like to make public comment on item 48.

And we'll do that before we go to item 14.

Sure.

Welcome.

I appreciate it.

I'm James Rodriguez.

I'm public defender.

I've been with the Alameda County Public Defender's Office for 26 years now.

Been an attorney for 31 years.

And I just wanted to give thanks to Brendan Woods, who invited me to be here today, who allowed me to be part of this.

He's done such tremendous work with our office in making our office more accessible to the Latino community, the immigrant community, the Maya community.

He's been very creative with our office as well, creating an immigration unit, bringing in social workers, partners for justice.

He's done so much work, and I just wanted to give him that recognition and my gratitude.

And I also wanted to thank all of you, the supervisors, for acknowledging the contributions of Latinos and Chicanos and members of the immigrant community for our contributions to the history of Alameda County and of California.

Um I appreciate that, and I'm grateful for that, and these are important and needed and necessary.

But I also want to mention that we have to be cognizant, and I don't want to be ignorant of the times that we live in.

Uh right now, the Latino community, the Chicano community are under attack by ICE, subject to arrest without probable cause, detention without due process.

Every day we see on the TV mothers separated from their children, fathers from their families, people taken to faraway places they have no connection to.

Some of us read the news, watch the TV with fear and anxiety every day about what could happen to our community and what is happening.

But I know that Alameda County is fighting back and is working to protect the community, and I appreciate that as well.

I want to give two shoe shout outs before I go.

One is to the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant.

They let me borrow some of their sounds like a video game.

They let me borrow some of their resources, and I've created sort of a new card on one side, it has immigrant rights in Spanish with photos.

On the other side, it's English that someone who doesn't speak uh English can present to an officer and it asserts their rights.

So I've created these with their help, and I just wanted to give them a shout out.

I will leave some here if anyone wants to take a look at those.

It's very important.

East Bay Sanctuary Covenant has been very important to us.

And finally, I just want to give thanks to my Uncle Robert, who was uh, he was a ground zero.

He was a ground zero of the Chicano Power movement in the late 60s and the early 70s in Los Angeles, and he had always been fighting for Chicano power, Chicano Rights, and he's the one who taught me the meaning of the phrase que la luce sigue, and that's really what has brought me through all of this struggle.

So thank you very much.

Thank you for being here.

With that, we're going to move to item 14.1.

Uh last item of the day.

Do we have closed session after this?

No.

14.1, the last uh item of the day.

This is an item brought to us by Supervisor Fortunato Bass and Supervisor Marquez.

I'll turn it over to them for a brief report, after which we'll have public comment and then deliberation.

Um, I'll ask um for members of the public that are online.

Um, when the brief report from supervisors are finished to raise your hand.

Now would be the time to raise your hand for item 14.1.

And if you're in the room and wish to speak, fill out a speaker slip card and give it to the clerk.

We will count and tally the speakers at that time.

So, Supervisor Fortunato Bass, Supervisor Marquez, the floor is yours.

Thank you so much, Chair Halbert, and thank you to everyone who was here with us today.

Um, before we get started, um I will make sure that before or as we make a motion, we also ensure that the recommendations are clear, including a slight correction, a clerical correction to the amount.

So to get us started, I do want to reflect on the fact that this is Latinx Heritage Month.

It is also Philippinex Heritage Month.

And yesterday was Indigenous People's Day.

We also have, with this particular agenda, been able to celebrate art to celebrate more investment in our African American Wellness Center, more investment in our entire community and every single one of our residents, and it is with that spirit that we are bringing this item forward.

This is also an issue, this issue of immigration and detention that is touching so many of us.

And I do want to just share that personally I have been working on the issue of deportations of Southeast Asian refugees who have prior criminal conviction convictions but have served their time.

And just in these past few months in August, a dear friend had a family member deported to a country they have no connection to this week.

Another individual that is close to my circle and close to my network has an ICE hearing where they are expecting to get deported by this Friday.

And then in December, I have another person who's a dear personal friend of mine for many years who has an ICE check-in and fears being deported.

So this is something that I think we are all living with.

And I want to set that context because I know everyone who is here cares deeply and has a personal connection to this issue.

So we have a PowerPoint that we will be presenting.

This is the Alameda County Together for All Ad Hoc Committee recommendations from our August meeting.

And let's go to the first slide.

Next slide.

Thank you.

So, and for those who might be joining us online, you can find this PowerPoint on my website in the media section.

So, as background, back in March, Alameda County and this board unanimously approved the Act Ad hoc committee's recommendation to provide an emergency allocation of 3.5 million dollars to respond to the initial threats and impacts from the federal administration.

And as we consider that, we reflected on the fact that one out of three residents in our county is an immigrant.

Half of the children who grow up in our county have at least one immigrant parent.

Our diversity is our strength, and we are a welcoming county, and we took action to become a leader in protecting and empowering our immigrant and refugee community.

So we allocated 1.3 million to the public defenders immigration unit for a crucial legal defense for non-citizens, and we also funded three critical coalitions: one million to the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice to expand due process legal services, $700,000 to the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership, also known by its acronym, a CLIP, to relaunch a rapid response hotline and conduct know your rights trainings and provide legal services, and then 500,000 to Trabajadores Unidas, Workers United, to support community preparedness, mutual aid, and neighborhood-based resources.

And they have been doing work across our entire county in all five of our districts.

Next slide.

And then recently in August, the ACT ad hoc committee heard updates and recommendations from our three coalitions and the public defender's office.

And some of the information that was shared included rising ICE activity with HR1, the budget bill that was signed into law on July 4th.

ICE will have $75 billion dollars over the next few months, and that's a 300% increase in enforcement and detention capacity.

We also heard about eroding civil protections.

And to highlight that, in September, the Supreme Court ruled to allow indiscriminate immigration arrests in Los Angeles, and there is fear and rising concerns about racial profiling across the country.

And then, of course, we heard from our public defender that there was an illegal arrest of one of their clients inside the courthouse, right here across the street in the Oakland Courthouse.

And so with all of that information, there were a set of recommendations for ongoing community outreach, education, mobilization, legal support, to continue to strengthen the strong partnerships and services across our county for immigrants and refugees facing these threats and policy changes.

And so this is about real-time response and building an infrastructure that will continue to educate and empower our communities to withstand this escalation of threats and attacks.

Next slide.

So our coalitions have done a great job sharing data, even though it's only been since March that we have been investing in this work.

And so this slide shows that in the San Francisco area of responsibility, which includes Alameda County, there's been a sharp escalation in immigration enforcement activity throughout this year, more than doubling between January and July.

So you can see in January there were 278 arrests, and then in July there were 558 with a spike previously to 638 arrests.

Next slide, please.

And notably the majority of arrests in the San Francisco area of responsibility have involved nationals from Mexico, and you can see here that is 1,316 arrests, that is 48% of the arrests, and then following Mexican nationals, nationals from India at 8.5%, Guatemala at 6.5%, then El Salvador, Honduras, and Colombia.

So this gives us a sense of the nationalities of those who are being arrested.

Next slide.

Establish an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to coordinate resources and oversee immigrant serving programs.

Second, to create a countywide immigrant and refugee rights and justice task force to guide the development of the office.

Third, to launch an emergency assistance, excuse me, to launch an emergency assistance fund for families facing deportation or urgent crises.

And then fourth, and this relates directly to the recommendations in front of us today, ensure sustained and increased funding for core immigrant serving organizations to scale services and meet rising needs.

And that takes us to today's board letter, our request and report back.

And so the first recommendation is to support a seal up.

And I should actually say first that the three coalitions we are proposing to increase support for the current contracts and extend them extend them by six months so that there is more certainty to really scale up and provide services.

So for a seal-up, which is anchored by Centro Legal de la Raza, the proposal is a six-month extension that includes an increase of 1,987.

I'm sorry, 1,987,969.

And this is for the expansion of counties of the county's rapid response hotline into the weekends and enhance wraparound support services.

That really allows the coalition to care for impacted individuals and their families.

And the partners currently include Centro as well as Spanish speaking Citizens Foundation, Faith in Action East Bay, Eden United Church of Christ, and Street Level Health Project.

Next slide, thank you.

So since relaunching in 2025, a CELUP has received over 1,300 calls, resolving 32 ICE verifications and providing legal services to 170 individuals.

They have extended the hotline coverage and will be able to extend into the weekends with the support.

They have scaled legal support, increased volunteer infrastructure, and wraparound family care.

And you can see that under the first Trump administration in 2019, 71 calls was the peak.

And today, under the current administration, there's been a 530% increase.

We are 698 calls was the peak.

I'll also note here that the hotline is not collecting demographic information for the calls to encourage safety and reporting.

And next slide.

So here you can see that a CELUP has been able to reach over 8,200 Alameda County residents through a combination of community education and outreach activities that includes know your rights presentations, tabling events, and informational sessions.

And this heat map shows that there's been a lot of activity in districts three in particular and also across our entire district.

And many of us know that we are passing out the red cards, which you saw earlier from one of the speakers.

We are sharing this phone number.

We are making sure that as people are informed about their rights, they also know where to call for assistance, and this phone number is really a lifeline for so many in our community.

And I know that many people here have been advocating, and those many who are not even here have been advocating for the expansion of this work.

Next slide.

So you can see in this chart, there's a breakdown by district, by language and ethnicity to the extent that that is known.

So again, there is work happening across our entire district, the district five know your rights training is going to be this month.

And I'll also note that English language includes individuals who may identify as white, Asian, black, or other.

And I had the opportunity to attend a know your rights training early on in Dublin, and I know that from being there, it was incredibly well attended.

It was neighbors, it was immigrants, and it was the result of a lot of door knocking and having one-on-one conversations to ensure that our communities, which may not be as easy to reach as in denser urban areas, indeed had an opportunity to learn about their rights.

Next slide.

And here you can see that ACUDIR has trained over 400 residents through immigrant rights workshops and cultivated 30 plus local leaders to build mutual aid networks and peer-led defense strategies.

And again, activity across our entire district.

And I had two interns over the summer who actually were volunteering with ACUDIER, and they were actually doing outreach in our business neighborhoods.

And it was really empowering for them to go door to door, talk to business owners, and help them understand what their rights are as business owners and ensure that their employees also knew their rights.

And we've heard stories about people who went to a training very fearful because they didn't know what their rights were or what to do, and from going through a training, from having one-on-one conversations, they've developed as leaders and are now organizing in their own neighborhoods and getting more people engaged, informed and empowered.

Next slide.

So the third recommendation is to support Accord, and this is a six-month contract extension of 1,045,193 through the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice to ensure legal services to match the rising need in sustainably scale operations with community-based coalition members.

And so their current partners include Pangaea Legal Services, Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, and East Bay Community Law Center.

Next slide.

So you will see here there has been community education sessions across the entire county in multiple languages.

They are planning to expand to six to eight partners, which is very exciting in terms of making sure we have maximum reach.

So Accord shared with me that there was a gentleman named Alex, who is a dedicated construction worker and union member who was unexpectedly detained by ICE at the airport.

And he was sent to the Mesa Verde detention center in Bakersfield.

And as a lawful permanent resident, he had the right to fight for his green card, but he didn't know that.

Fortunately, Accord attorneys were able to help him.

When they met, he was ready to give up and request deportation to self-deport.

And there are actually commercials on YouTube.

I'm sure you all have seen them about self-deporting.

So when Accord was able to step in, explain his legal options, and now with representation, he is fighting to stay in the US, reunite with his family and return to the job and community he calls home.

And so for each of these three coalitions, that education, empowerment, and legal representation is a lifeline.

It's about family unity and keeping our families together.

Each of these coalitions is grounded in working together with our public defender to forge a united multilingual countywide defense strategy that's grounded in trust and lived experience and a commitment to showing up for our communities.

And before I hand it over to my colleague, I also just wanted to briefly share since we're talking about legal services, that it's been important to me and to all of us to ensure everyone in our county is served, including our API community.

So I did make a grant from my office to APILO, the API legal outreach organization, and wanted to just share briefly.

They did present at the August Act for All meeting.

We weren't able to include information about their work in this presentation, but they did share with us this year, they have served 395 clients, 150 of whom or 40% are in removal proceedings and at risk of detention or deportation.

They provide a range of services and consultations, including some assistance for asylum, citizenship, family petitions, naturalizations, removal, work authorization.

And like all of our coalition partners, they serve anyone who knocks on their door.

So APIO has served again 395 clients.

Of those clients, 32% have been Spanish speaking, 8% Pashto speaking, 5% Dari speaking, and 4% Mandarin.

And their ethnicities include 17% who are Afghan, 13% Mexican, 8% Chinese.

So each of our coalitions is serving the diversity of our beautiful and welcoming county in a variety of languages.

And I also wanted to share that a cord is in conversation with a PILO.

So we really want to make sure that we're addressing the needs across the county and making introductions and connections where we can so that these coalitions continue to grow, strengthen, and provide the support that our communities need.

And I'll hand it off to my colleague.

Thank you, Supervisor Fortinero Bass.

Before I continue with the slides, just want to make some opening remarks.

For me, this is about the work that we are charged to do here on the board of supervisors.

Our primary responsibility is to protect the safety net.

And as was mentioned earlier, one in three of our residents are foreign-born.

My grandparents, my father, many of us, these are our neighbors, our immigrant and refugee community.

They are the backbone of this county.

They built this county and they maintain this county.

So it is our responsibility to do everything we can to protect and to reduce the harm that is coming out from this federal administration.

So as the chair of the Public Protection Committee, I had a presentation from the public defender's office back in December 19th, before the new administration even took office.

They flagged for us what was coming.

So I'm really proud that all of my colleagues unanimously supported the Act Committee, as well as the first investment of $3.5 million, which included a historic investment of $1.3 million to the public defender's office.

The public defenders office has a new request because this federal administration is targeting our community by increasing the fees, making it really, really challenging to have due process.

So if we could please put up slide 15, and this is, it says letter C, but it's also the fourth recommendation.

So we've been consistently hearing from our community what they want and what they need in order in order to strengthen the response here from our county.

So one of the recommendations is the public defender's office to allocate $50,000 to help offset increase application and litigation costs for low-income immigrants and refugees and protect the right to due process, as we know with the Supreme Court decision, as well as HR1, those are being under under attack, and we're doing everything we can to protect due process here in Alameda County.

So motions to reopen rose from $110 to $1,010.

Asylum applications now cost $100 plus and $100 for every pending year.

Special immigrant juvenile status applications now cost $250, and green cards through family have doubled from $1,500 to nearly $3,000.

Again, making it cost prohibited to access legal services and to defend your right to be here.

Public Defender's Office, next slide, please.

Public Defender's Office Immigration Unit Impact to Date.

They've hired three new immigrant immigration defense attorneys, embedded a dedicated immigration attorney within the juvenile unit to support children who face the greatest dangers of immigration enforcement, including during court proceedings.

I had a meeting last week with one of our public defenders, and he praised this new attorney.

How it's making such a big impact already being on site specifically at our juvenile hall.

We've embedded a bilingual immigration attorney within Clean Slate Unit to provide immigration advice during community clinics.

Next slide, please.

Respond to requests to and take detained individuals in order to determine whether they are eligible for county services and eligible for relief against removal.

They've responded to requests from indigenous individuals who need advice and assistance in dealing with the DHS and non-removal cases.

Next slide, please.

Another recommendation that you will see in one of our attachments, it's not in the board letter, but it's included in the packet as one of the attachments is the principals of the three organizations we've already funded.

They really hit the ground running.

They've been doing this work in the community before we even invested in them, and this takes a lot of coordination.

Unfortunately, our county does not have an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.

That was a recommendation that was made back in 2021 and has not materialized.

So what we're going to be asking for at our next meeting on October 21st is to identify key county staff that will be responsible for the duties of regular communication, internal coordination, and support with the contracted coalition partners, collaboration with county agencies and departments, layers on with broader community to identify trends and address it address issues, evaluation of current services model, best practices, improvements to model and process for transparency, equity, and accountability, inform recommendations for developing an office of immigrant and refugee affairs, including facilitating facilitating community engagement.

So this is a parallel office process.

Although we don't have the office, myself and Supervisor Vortano Bass are working tirelessly.

We're in communication with philanthropy, so we're developing next steps and a proposal so that they we can partner with them so they could conduct the research so we could ensure that in the future we start an office here in this county.

But unfortunately, we can't wait for that work to take place.

We've met with other surrounding counties, and that could take years as low as the minimum amount of time is like 18 months.

So before we embark on that journey, we have to ensure that we have someone here in the county that is going to coordinate these CBOs.

One district office cannot do that work alone.

This is really about operationalizing what we're trying to do for our entire community.

These issues don't just impact our immigrant community, they impact the entire region, and the partnership with me representing District 2, which is center and South County, and Supervisor Vertener Bass representing North County, it's truly a partnership.

We are doing everything we can to ensure that every inch of this county is receiving services.

So that is our commitment, and that's what our joint joint board letter demonstrates.

Next slide, please.

So future preparedness in implementing an Alameda County Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.

As we know, three of four neighboring counties, that's Contra Costa, San Francisco, and Santa Clara have a dedicated entity to support immigrants and refugees.

Next slide, please.

This is some history and that recommendation to start that office in 2016.

The board declared Alameda County a welcoming county and established an ad hoc committee on immigrant and refugee support.

In 2017, 18, the budget established a safety net reserve fund, setting aside the existing budget balancing designation as a contingency for pending federal budget and policy actions that impact safety net services.

In 2021, the ad hoc committee's final report presented 10 recommendations, including for Alameda County to establish an office of immigrant and refugee affairs.

In 2025, the board created the Alamie County Together for All Ad hoc committee to provide coordinated support for vulnerable populations, building upon the legacy of the late supervisors Wilma Chan and Richard Via.

Next slide, please.

The purpose is to support the Alameda County leadership with immigrant and refugee supportive policies and programs, including responding to state and federal administrative shifts, such as serve as a knowledgeable hub for accessing benefits, navigating county agencies, such as connecting residents with legal advice, developing a countywide action plan with county leaders, contractors, community-based organizations, and impacted residents, partner with CBOs to educate residents about county benefits services and changes in federal immigration and refugee policy and funding.

Monitor access to county services like language access where necessary, investigate and mediate alleged violations.

So again, because we don't have that office, we are doing our best to be responsive and to meet the need of this moment.

The statistics are the data's been provided by our partners here in terms of the fear that our community is feeling, and so it is our responsibility to do what we can to be responsive.

I know that the principals from the organizations are here, and I know there will answer any clarifying questions for our colleagues.

We've also heard the urgency of having a basic needs fund.

Should someone lose a relative of their detained, that impacts the entire family, their ability to work is impacted, the family can uh be struggling with providing food and covering their daily living expenses.

So myself and supervisor Fortana Bass have pledged $50,000 each to launch this fund.

There is an ambitious goal to raise $10 million from surrounding counties and leaders to make sure that if someone is detained, we can meet their basic needs.

So this is truly a holistic approach that we are embarking on and happy to answer any clarifying questions.

Very good.

I'd like to thank supervisors Fortunato Bass and Marquez for a very thorough and complete presentation, well thought out.

And I'd like to first take public comment and then see if we have deliberations and clarifying questions.

That's okay.

Do the clerks have the speaker slips that are handed in by people in the room?

And how many do we have?

Yeah, 47 in person.

47 in person, and how many online with their hands raised?

16 online.

16.

17, okay.

So we're going to cut off public uh comment speaker slips and hands raised, and that is about 6570 or so.

Um I'll allow one minute of public comment and um ask that we do in-person first three, and um then online.

And I I want to say I know that we have online interpretation for those that are speaking another language where we can read and uh members of the public can read on the screen.

Um, if there are members in person, do we have translators?

Translators for people in person.

I guess we'll cross that bridge and get to it.

But to say um, we do value and recognize in-person and online speakers.

Now is the time to to do that.

We'll go first three, and when then your name is called.

If you could come up and just line up behind the speaker in front of you, that'll help the flow and more people will be able to uh to speak then.

Um, online will be called after that.

So the first three in line uh in-person speakers.

The first three in-persons are Valerie Bachelor, Greg Slaughter, and Nicholas Flores.

Welcome.

Good afternoon.

My name is Valerie Bachelor, and the vice president of the Oakland Unified School District.

I'm here today to urge you to adopt the Act Committee recommendations.

Every day, our schools we see the fear of ICE activity.

Our parents are afraid to drop their kids off.

Students are concerned about their loved ones.

Learning stops, attendance drops.

The investments you're making today by funding Centro Legal de la Rasa, Trabajadores Unidos, and the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, save lives.

They keep families together, they protect our classrooms and ensure funding supports our students.

This political moment calls for bold leadership.

So President Brohard and I additionally ask for the county to make a public commitment that the Sheriff's Department will not collaborate with ICE or Federal National Guard, that you would make an investment in safe routes to and from schools and hospitals, and that you move towards tenant protections and emergency basis if raids start to occur.

Our students deserve places to learn and safe places to be in their communities.

Thank you.

Hi everybody, my name is uh Gregory Slaughter.

I'm a uh ACE member and I live in district four.

And I just want to say we need to fully, fully uh fund 24-7 rep response hotline so families have somewhere to turn to in a moment ice shows up.

And also to you, Senator uh Supervisor Miley, ACE has reached out to you to have a sit down meeting with you.

You have not responded to us yet.

So I please ask you today if you could respond to us by the end of this week, it would be really uh appreciated.

Okay, I want to say one thing is I'm a 72-year-old black man.

I lived in Oakland all my life.

I have never seen the United States or Oakland being like it is now.

It wasn't nothing about no prejudice like it is now.

Thank you.

Nicholas Flores.

Oh, pick Spanish, right?

Uh, my name is Nicolas Flores.

He is TV in the Department of Tres.

So, I'm just gonna see that.

Gracias.

Vicky.

Good afternoon.

Uh, my name is Vicky Wynne.

I am resident um of Oakland in District 5.

I'm here to support the um increase in funding, especially to the CELUP contract.

Um, this funding is urgently needed, uh especially to support the hotline uh for help, legal support and safety.

Um, and what we're seeing now is more arrests, more fear in our city.

Um, our other counties are spending more to respond to ICE.

Contra Costa spending over 3.1 million on rapid response, which is five times more than Alameda.

Um, and we shouldn't be falling behind to protect our immigrant communities.

And I believe that this investment is an investment in Oakland's values and uh future.

Thank you.

Caller, go ahead.

My name is Lisa Hoffman, and I'm a co-executive director at East Space Sanctuary Covenant or EBSC.

EBSC reaches 12,000 immigrants yearly with legal and social services, and we serve people from 72 countries in over 20 languages.

I urge you to support the six-month extension and increased funding for accord to increase removal defense services and ensure that Alameda County residents have the legal representation they need to avoid deportation and family separation.

EBSC and the communities we serve have been deeply impacted by the federal government's deportation agenda.

Our multilingual hotline website and staff are experiencing huge volumes of requests for legal consultations.

In response, we've been running a weekly drop-in clinic in the Fruitvale, where people can have an in-person consultation with an attorney, reaching 250 people since February.

Having an attorney in a removal defense case can often mean the difference between a person being able to stay with their family or being deported.

Private attorneys charge up to $20,000 for these services.

Thank you for your continued efforts and funding to protect our Rebecca Gurney.

Hi, my name is Rebecca Garney, and I also work at East Bay Sanctuary Covenant.

I'm speaking on behalf of our partner Radio Balam, a radio program in Spanish and mom that reaches over 80,000 mom followers with trusted legal and social service information.

I'm here to strongly support the proposed almost $2 million increase to the ACLEP contract.

Every few days, Radio Balam gets phone calls and messages from concerned mom community members when they see large groups of armed, unidentified law enforcement officers throughout Alameda County.

We then call ACELIP and rely on them heavily to confirm or deny if the sightings are real, so we can share verified information with the mom community.

Yet if this happens on a weekend or after hours, as it so often does, we have no one to turn to and have to rely on our own judgment to protect our community.

Also, when community members are detained, ACELIPT has helped us locate them and get them an attorney within the same day.

With the surge of immigration enforcement and fear, ACELIP is getting 10 times the calls they received.

ACELIP is critical service to preventing family separation and please fund the proposed contract extension.

Next three in-person speakers.

Adriana Martinez, Marcus Garcia, Becky Hammond.

Good afternoon.

My name is Adriana.

I live in District 4 in Oakland, and I would support the expansion of the rapid response line because it's not enough time because most incidents will happen at night or weekends, and people are vulnerable.

There's thousands of undocumented people now in the other county who are very vulnerable at this time, including children and elders.

And I would appreciate the funding because that's my tax money.

Thank you.

Hello everyone.

My name is Marcus.

I'm an organizer with Ace Oakland and a resident of District 5.

I stand with immigrant neighbors who are currently living in terror when our families are torn apart and live in dread.

Our entire county suffers.

I fully support the community's recommendations and urge you to vote in favor of them.

We must establish safeguards for everyone in Alameda County, including a clear and public commitment and plan that the Sheriff's Department will not collaborate with ICE or a federalized National Guard, a rent and eviction moratorium and rent relief program should raids occur or the National Guard be deployed and invest in safe pathways so that children, parents, and our elders can move to schools and hospitals without fear.

These steps are essential to protect our county.

Let's vote to shield our community from fear.

Thank you.

Becky, Becky here.

Becky.

Karen Villenosa.

Good afternoon, members of the Alameda Board of Supervisors.

My name is Dr.

Karen Villinueva, and I'm here today to speak on behalf of immigrants, people of color, and working class families in our community.

Um we're nine months into four years of this Trump administration, and it feels like it's been a lot longer.

I well, up until this morning, I was laid off at children's hospital, but when I worked there, I worked with a lot of immigrant families.

I worked for and served patients that were immigrants.

I myself am an immigrant.

I'm um from your district, a supervisor Miley, and I think all of us are in this room because we care about what's happening uh with immigrants.

So I strongly um support that you extend the contracts and also um find more money to expand so that we can catch up with the other um counties.

Thank you, Rachel.

Hi, good afternoon.

My name is Rachel Cafelli, and I'm a resident of District 4.

I'm also the Director of Programs and Advocacy at Oasis Legal Services, whose main office is in Berkeley.

I'm here to urge the board to adopt the committee's recommendations and continue funding for accord.

At OASIS, our mission is to empower low-income LGBTQ immigrants who have survived violence and persecution due to their sexuality, gender identity, andor HIV status by increasing access to quality, culturally responsive legal representation and social services.

Since OASIS opened in 2017, we have served over 410 Alameda County residents, including over 50 new clients within the last year.

Since Trump has taken office, our wait list of Alameda County residents needing representation and assistance with deportation defense has grown exponentially.

Right now, we are in con we are in contact with over 15 Alameda County residents who have hearings scheduled within the next year and are desperately seeking a lawyer to go with them to court and protect them from being subject to violence and persecution based on their sexual orientation.

Alameda County District 2.

I am a bounding member of Asian American Civic Engagement Organization, Mission Hills, or Fremont, Newark, and Union City.

One of our Cabic Engagement advocacy is for Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

Yes, both on a critical 1.9 million funding increase for the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership, ACLEP, a vital program that provides rapid response and legal support and education to community members facing ICE enforcement.

Since relaunching in February, with 700,000.

Alba Hernandez.

Good afternoon, supervisors.

My name is Alba Hernandez, and a resident of District 4, an organizer with Faith in Action East Bay, which is a member of a CELIP.

I'm here to strongly support the proposed 1.9 million increase to the ACELAP contract.

This funding is urgently needed and long overdue.

I can speak to how the hotline allows us to connect with more impacted communities and be able to provide not only legal and education support, but also to be able to connect our immigrant families to mutual mutual aid during this impact, the impact of losing financial support when the breadwinner has been detained or handed or deported.

The fact that this funding will support the extension of the hotline to weekends will help us connect to more impacted communities and provide hope that these may be a little there may be a little sense of safety during these moments of uncertainty.

And I just want to add that some of my family is threatened by this current climate, and it means more to me on a personal level than you can imagine.

Thank you so much for listening.

Next three in person.

Hi, my name is Alan Evangelistic and I'm from Berkeley, California.

And I just want to applaud the supervisors for being sensitive to these things.

The invasion of ICE into the Alameda County.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, supervisors.

My name is Mohammed.

I'm a proud resident of District 5, a child of Palestinian immigrants, and the organizing director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center.

AROC is situated a little bit uniquely in this moment when our communities are being targeted because we're the only organization that's providing free Arabic speaking legal services, resource connection, community outreach and education in the Bay Area.

So we're honored to be able to provide those contributions with Akudir, working alongside many organizations, because it's so crucial right now.

The threats and attacks our residents are facing in this county are dire and are nothing less than organized violence, hate, and xenophobia.

So we ask that you adopt and approve the together for all recommendations so that we can continue to strengthen the community capacity for preparedness and defense in this really direct.

Thank you.

As the Trump admin and ICE escalate violent attacks in cities across the U.S., we have seen communities rise up in protest in organizing and in self-defense to keep themselves safe, and Alameda County is no exception.

The Arab community is throughout the Bay Area is ready to stand side by side with our immigrant siblings against the Trump admins war on our people, but we cannot do it alone.

These networks are the critical backbone of Alameda County's community defense for immigrant communities facing attacks by ICE.

We urge that this board make it county policy that the uh Alameda County Sheriff's Department will not collaborate with uh with immigration enforcement at the county will not criminalize communities defending themselves from ICE.

Please support this critical work and adopt the Act Committee's recommendation to extend network funding.

If you want to see for yourselves the impact of the county's support for this critical organizing, uh everybody here today is invited to a community forum on October 26th, featuring our own uh D5 representative Nikki Bass at the Islamic Cultural Center uh downtown, 12 p.m.

Come find me after the event.

We can talk.

Ben Wang.

Hello, everybody.

Uh, my name is Ben Wong with Asian Health Services.

We thank Supervisor Bass and Supervisor Marquez for your uh leadership in funding these much needed services for immigrants facing deportation and xenophobia.

I have friends and patients and community members who are also at risk of deportation to countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and India.

Many are in unique immigration situations that require specialized legal expertise and community support.

Some have upcoming ICE check-ins with possible arrests and need legal help to prepare potential habeas corpus or other legal preparations, but private attorneys are charging $5,000 to $10,000.

In addition to much needed legal services and given trauma of deportation, it's also critical to support community groups who are already doing this work, oftentimes without funding and supporting families, providing mental health and healing services.

Lastly, we encourage the inclusion of Asian and Southeast Asian communities who make up one third of the county who are also facing many of these threats.

Thank you.

Hello, good afternoon.

My name is Carla Guerra, Policy and Advocacy, Senior Manager at the Unity Council.

I am here to speak in support of a CILIP.

Azila provides immediate legal assistance to immigrants and educates families about how to assert their rights.

It's a program that protects our most vulnerable communities, immigrant, working class, and communities of color when they need it most.

In Alameda County, over 500 residents, 500,000 residents, excuse me, or nearly one in three are immigrants.

And that's why it's urgent that the county approve the proposed increase so we can expand services, respond to more calls weekly, and support more families facing trauma of detention of threat of separation.

Please approve this item, and we thank you for keeping Alameda County a safe and welcoming place.

Hi, my name is Winnie, and I'm speaking here on behalf of Asian Health Services.

We want to express the great needs for support services for Asian immigrants and refugees that we see amongst our patient population and community partners.

Many Southeast Asian patients and community members we know are at very high risk of deportation to countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Southeast Asians are also deported to third countries at some of the highest rates.

Even amongst our 600 plus staff, some have shared that they face deportation threats within their families.

So in addition to legal services, we also recognize the great needs for mental health, healing, resource navigation, and family support.

We also need support for federally qualified health centers to build our infrastructure so that we can continue to provide services to our impacted immigrants and refugees.

We encourage the intentional inclusion of the Asian and Southeast Asian community who make up one third of the county and also face deportation and other immigration threats.

As such, we look forward to collaborating with the county and other community organizations.

Thank you.

Next three in speakers, Geraldine Alcio, Lily May, and Yolande.

Good afternoon, Board of Supervisors.

My name is Geraldine Elsid.

I'm the executive director of Filipino Advocates for Justice and an Oakland residents.

API is over 30% of Alameda County residents and Filipinos are over 110,000 of those residents.

The majority live in southern Alameda County, cities like Hayward, Fremont, and Union City, where there is little to no organizing to let people know what their rights are.

FAJ is over 50 years old.

We have a base of youth, young adults, and elder immigrants, domestic workers and caregivers in our outreach.

We've met voters, families, tenants, and business owners.

Our people are fearful and confused, unsure about trusting their government.

And we are watching our members choose to self-support.

We urge the board of Supervisors to be courageous in their partnership with the community-based organizations in Aquadir in this moment.

And please support the full Act Committee recommendations.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, members of the Alameda Board of Supervisors.

My name is Lily May Katanis.

I'm a resident of District 4.

I'm here with Filipino advocates for justice, Keelasign Wellness, and I'm here today to speak on behalf of immigrants, people of color, and working class families in our community, in particular the API community.

In times like these, when the Trump administration is attacking immigrants, people of color, and working class families, it's more important than ever that the Alameda Board of Supervisors live up to its values.

Coalitions like the Alameda County United in Defense for Immigrant Rights are supporting families by connecting to resources within our county to ensure they are supported, the supported the existing resources in our county in moments in need.

Thank you.

You can go ahead and call a few more names.

Just line them up.

Welcome.

Good afternoon, Board of Supervisors.

My name is Christopher Martinez with the Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation, a core partner in the Rapid Response Network ACELEP.

Thank you for acting with urgency and purpose and considering additional funding for usile.

Your support ensures that the network remains responsive, prepared, and adaptable in the face of increasing attacks on our community.

We know the needs of our immigrant communities, all our immigrant communities continue to evolve, and this is a moment to stand united, strong and compassionate, embodying our shared values, protecting the dignity, safety, and well-being of our neighbors when they need us most.

Through hotline and verification, legal services, accompaniment, and care for loved ones left behind.

Investing in this work is investing in the strength and resilience of our entire county.

Together, we can ensure no one stands alone in moments of crisis.

Thank you for your leadership, your partnership, and your commitment to standing with our community in moments like these.

Than ever that the Alameda Board of Supervisors live up to their values.

As previous speakers talked about recognition is incredibly important.

It is incredibly important that we recognize our communities' contributions to society and to like Alameda County at the same time as people have also pointed out.

Looking at what Latina communities and the immigration struggle, as others have also pointed out, also extends beyond the Latina community to Asian communities to black communities.

It is important that we meet these communities' needs, and it is because of that that I want to speak in favor of funding these efforts and these services.

Thank you.

Bill Joyce.

Hi, thank you.

Yes, I'm a long time resident of the Laurel District and a leader with Faith in Action East Fay.

I volunteer a weekly food bank distribution site in East Oakland that draws over 400 individuals, largely mothers and grandmothers, many with young children, many of whom are undocumented.

That's a big rebound from January.

Importantly, immigrants' rights groups show up regularly to advise folks of their rights.

People are aware of their rights, and unfortunately that these rights are widely ignored.

Many have legal status but are fearful to show up for court dates, which gets to the most critical need access to legal support, especially one-on-one sessions with attorneys who can provide concrete legal advice related to their specific situations.

We applaud the current 1.9 million requests to meet the urgent need for legal support along with rapid response efforts and providing material support.

Thank you very much.

It is more important now than ever that the Alameda Board of Supervisors continues to support and protect our immigrant communities.

Thank you.

My name is Alma Santana.

I'm here to work with a number of the immigrants and the community that we are representing in this moment, persons of color, the family, the class of class that are part of our community, for the appointment that we are doing the sequestro of our families in the house, in the calls and the cortes.

Kelly Wong.

Hello, good afternoon.

My name is Kelly Wong, resident of District 5, and I strongly urge the Alameda Board of Supervisors to adopt all recommendations to increase and expand funding for the programs and organizations who conduct the critical legal services and aid to protect our immigrant families and workers.

Thank you.

We are talking about MEV.

We have to determine.

And lamentablemente says, migrant Yanosa Marginada.

Good morning, or good afternoon, members of the Alameda Board of Supervisors.

My name is Miriam Elaine Myers, and I'm here today to speak on behalf of immigrants, people of color, and the working class families in our community.

The Trump administration's attacks on major US cities, particularly Black led cities, with which immigrant working class communities have been constant, and we are only in the first year of this administration.

ICE has already been attacking, disappearing, intimidating residents of Alameda County.

And it's not a matter of if they ramp up this activity as we've seen in LA this summer and in Chicago.

It's a matter of when.

We need to be prepared, and we need coalitions like Aquileid to continue to outreach, have face-to-face conversations in various languages, on the street, at people's homes, so that our community can know about their rights.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, members of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

My name is Alana, and I'm here today to speak in support of immigrant workers in our community.

One in three people in Alameda County are immigrant residents.

Nearly half of our population speaks a language other than English at home.

Half of Alameda County children live in a household with at least one immigrant family member.

These are our neighbors, families, co-workers, friends, and community members.

Immigrant communities are part of the diverse cultural fabric of what makes our county thrive.

We ask you, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to continue to protect our communities by ensuring that coalitions like Acudir can continue to do outreach to immigrant community members about their rights in our county.

Thank you.

The system of government is the Trump is only a violation of the direct civilization.

My name is Courtney McCosland.

I'm a resident of Oakland and District 4.

I'm also the co-director of the Immigration Program at the East Bay Community Law Center in Berkeley, a core member of the Alameda County Collaborative for Removal Defense, otherwise known as Accord.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I'm here to strongly support the proposed increase to the immigration services contract.

This funding is urgently needed as Alameda County faces disruption and attack by the federal government.

As a member of the Accord Collaborative, EBCLC has worked earnestly to expand our network of support for our immigrant neighbors and colleagues.

We partner with schools, medical providers, community organizers, and more to attempt to connect our most vulnerable community members with the representation they need.

Under the auspices of this funding, we have provided outreach and education at community events, consultations, brief services, full representation in court and appeals.

But even so, the need greatly outstrips the available capacity of providers.

We ask for the board's continued courage and solidarity with the community that you represent with this funding.

Thank you.

Angel.

Good afternoon, supervisors.

My name is Angel Ibarra.

I am a program manager with Centro Legal working on a CLEP.

I am also a resident of District 5.

I'm here today to speak in strong support of strengthening and expanding Alameda County's immigrant safety net, including continued funding for Asila.

It is important to recognize that Alameda County is not isolated from national shifts and our local families, our neighbors are being directly impacted by federal enforcement changes.

Across the county, we are seeing a sharp rise in immigration arrest, fear, and community need.

When someone is detained or threatened with deportation, and it is not just a legal crisis, it's a housing and employment and a family crisis.

What we need now is countywide commitment to building a true safety net, one where legal aid rapid response and emergency housing and community education work hand in hand.

Thank you.

The next three in person, Dave Thompson, Elena Torres, and Miguel DeLeon.

Good afternoon, Supervisors.

Dave Thompson, co-director of MyD Invoice.

First of all, I want to applaud you for taking bold steps initially to launch the ad hoc committee and to invest in uh the networks that are doing this work to protect immigrants.

So Might Invoice isn't an immigrant rights organization like a lot of our colleagues.

We're a place-based organization focused on unincorporated area Alameda County.

We started doing this work to protect our community because our leaders were saying that their friends and families were scared to leave their homes, that they weren't sending their kids to school, that they were afraid to go to work.

All the things they've already heard.

And so that's why we stepped into this work.

We're proud to partner with TUU and Aquadir because they recognize from the beginning that areas like ours are not getting the resources or aren't have the immigrant rights infrastructure.

And so we're working alongside to ensure that that happens.

And finally, I'd say this is a multiplier event.

This impacts broadly across our communities.

Our schools will lose funding as kids are out of school and they lose attendance-based funding.

Businesses lose their workforce, lose sales.

We're seeing that's an extended situation.

Hi, my heart is broken.

You know, a la mayor company have immigrants have several immigrant parents like me.

We children serving in the Air Force, in the Marines, in the Army and the Navy.

Our children are risking their lives defending this count, this country, but their deepest fear is in the battlefield where they are.

Is returning home from their deployment to find their parents deported.

They protect public safety, family stability, and taxpayer dollars.

We must not forget our family members or children that are serving on the serving serving of the Contra Mayorbus in Qatar and other places, or as many parents as or children deployed.

And sure, please, we need to ensure that their families are safe.

Immigration is a permanent reality.

And these programs must be permanent too.

Finding this is his use of compassionate is fiscally responsible.

We must not forget our family members in the arms and serving the navies and everywhere in the military.

Um the young woman was interested in translating for the gentleman, is that correct?

Okay, I'm hearing that the Spanish translation on the AI is not very good.

So if it's possible to allow her a minute to translate, would you allow that?

Hello, my name is Miguel de Leon.

Today I am here to ask and to please keep financing the groups who support immigrants.

It is very important now to support the working people, people who help up lift the economy of the country and who work with dedication to deliver resources to their communities.

That is why we are asking for community respect.

We need those groups to advise the community now that the border administration and the government in charge.

Well, it is now becoming easier for them to disrespect human rights and to be above the law that they themselves have placed.

It is fair that the funds be given to organizations that support the immigrant community who also pay taxes in this country.

Thank you.

Valeria Ochoa.

Hi, good afternoon.

My name is Justin Barajas.

I believe it's under Valeria Ochoa.

My name I'm a resident of Hayward.

I am the new rights training coordinator and rapid response volunteer training coordinator with Faith in Action East Bay, a core partner with ACLeb.

ICE is getting a very lengthy budget, and we cannot pretend to know what is to come, an increase in unlawful arrest.

We cannot allow this administration to continue to allow the use of unnecessary force and continue to allow the taking of lives of our immigrant community members.

No lives should be lost at the hands of ICE agents or detentions.

Help us continue our efforts to keep our immigrants safe.

We must continue to be able to spread the power that comes through outreach education and resources.

As our board of supervisors, we urge you to continue to build a safety net and support the proposed 1.9 million increase to the asylum contract and to the many organizations that are supporting our immigrant communities.

Thank you.

Kimberly Victoria.

Hi, greetings, uh supervisors.

My name is Kimberley Victorio, and I am with the Eden Power Collective and Eden Church in the unincorporated Cherryland area.

Um I'm here to speak on behalf of and support of a CLIP.

Um, as everybody has mentioned, we're see we're seeing the rampant um, you know, arrests and deportations of our community members, especially those uh that are have court dates.

So there's a lot of community members in fear of going to their court dates uh and appearing.

Um, and so I just want to highlight that a C Lib has been working tirelessly to help uh all members of the community uh, you know, get an accompaniment or um, you know, just have that peace of mind that ice is not in our community.

So uh investing in the C Lib uh in a Clip is investing in the uh county's values uh injustice and indignity.

So I urge you to continue supporting this vital work and ensure that our families in Alameda do not face this uh this fear of deportation.

Thank you.

Earl Aguilera.

Hello, my name is Earl Aguilera.

I'm a professor.

Oh, is that oh yeah, I'm professor at uh California State University East Bay in Hayward, an organizer for our local campus rapid response and an asilep trained um rapid response volunteer.

Our students um have expressed deep concerns about the safety and well-being of their families in this time of federal anti-immigration actions.

ASILEP and other organizations with this crucial funding can help continue to provide some sense of safety for them.

I am right, I am speaking to urge you to vote yes on the full funding increase for organizations such as ACELEP.

I urge you to support these efforts, stand with our community members, and vote yes to this increased funding.

Thank you.

Next three in-person speakers, Sandra Hernandez, Maria Miranda, Gladys Veladez.

Families mixed in circular circanos.

Good afternoon, Alameda County supervisors.

My name is Sandra Hernandez, and I am a captain with my Aiden Voice in the unincorporated area.

My voice is to support immigrants from all the country from all around the country, um, around the state and the county, mixed families in our immigrant community who are affected physically, emotionally, and financially in the face of a raid.

Simple fact of feeling the threat of being involved in the detention solely for racial profiling, regardless of physical characteristics.

The constant changes happening every day in this current presidential administration is overwhelming.

Our stress levels and crisis of depression and anxiety and those who are heads of households, resisting until they can for their family.

Today I ask for your support for the rapid response programs in Alameda County.

As we know, they are currently operated with limited hours.

We don't know for how long, but we do know that it is necessary to support our working community, including immigrants.

Thank you for your support.

I'm here using my time and my voice today to share the words from a vibrant and empowering neighborhood leader and business owner in the unincorporated area, District 4.

My name is Diana Ramirez, and I own a small business in Cherry Land known as Yoyos Botaneria.

When our immigrant communities live in fear, it affects us all.

People stop going outside, let alone go shopping, and that directly impacts small businesses like mine and the county's economy.

As a committed sanctuary business with my Eden Voice and Aquilead, I ask you to continue supporting these programs, including ACILEP and Accord that continue the mission to provide safety and resources for our families, no matter their immigration status.

Immigrants are an essential part of Alameda's strength and Alameda County's strength, and we need our county to continue protecting and supporting those who keep its economy and culture alive.

Businesses like Diana's are balancing difficult priorities, help us by providing correct information and help assert workers' rights in Alameda County.

Thank you.

Hello, supervisors.

My name is Gladys.

I'm a junior organizer with My Aiden Voice and a Cherryland resident.

Over the past few months, I've heard many powerful but troubling stories from our unincorporated areas, like Diana, small business owner of Yoyos Botaneria in Cherry Land.

It's been shared with us that the beginning of last week of the last week of September, she would have to begin cutting her employees' hours.

This is an immigrant-owned business with pride of their roots and support of their community, as they also committed to partake in our sanctuary business workshop and network.

They are struggling, and it shows signs of community struggling as it isn't the first immigrant-owned business we've heard losing clientele of up to 60%.

I spoke to an Ashland neighbor who works in the San Lorenzo School District, and they shared that the attendance of children has dropped exponentially, that parents are fearful of their children being dropped of the off and not being able to reunite.

Similarly, my aunt who works at La Clinica and the San Lawrence Ohio School based health center has heard administration not supporting.

All that to say, let me just wrap it up.

I think it would be amazing if the county shows allyship.

So please expand funding, and thank you.

Juliana?

Weiser.

Yes.

Go ahead.

Yes.

Thank you.

Hi, Supervisors.

My name is Juliana Weisseleon.

I am a director of the Newcomer Navigation Center at Eden Church.

And I also am a resident of the District Three.

Eden Church has the privilege of being one of the core partners with a Clip.

And I say privilege because it is it is a humbling experience and a privileged experience to hear the stories of our community members at their hardest times.

We don't take that lightly and none of our partners do at a Clip.

We are committed to this work for the long run.

We've been doing this work for a long time.

We'll continue to do it.

And this is systemic work that we are doing.

It's not just a day-to-day response which we're doing, but also the how do we change our systems in our county to be more responsive.

How do we work regionally, strategically?

How do we bring more partners to the table?

And so we're looking forward to continuing to do that alongside aside all of you and with your support.

Thank you very much.

Hi, my name's Stuart Chen.

I am the president of Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council.

I'm writing to, well, I'm sitting to you to remind you not to forget our communities in Oakland, Chinatown and Little Saigon, where we have one of the highest concentrations of immigrant families in Alameda County.

Many of our Southeast Asian neighbors, including Hmong, Damien's, Laotian, and Vietnamese families, have worked hard to rebuild their lives after incarceration and have become vital contributors to the safety and vibrancy of our community.

Yet they now live in fear of deportation under increased ICE enforcement.

Further intensifying, intensified by renewed federal funding and directives.

Some of these individuals are currently seeking pardons or to have their record expunged through the governor's office in an effort to remain with their families and continue their positive community involvement.

Unfortunately, their future remains uncertain.

Thank you.

The last three in-person speakers are Steve Robles Ramirez, Jasmine Hurt, and Anna Rosa Silva.

I note that there are several organizations that are here as well.

Central Legal is here, and they haven't had a chance to speak.

So if there are any other maybe you can help me, Supervisor Fortunately.

Yeah, let's have the principals that are um mentioned in the joint board letter for you guys could stand up so we can hear from you as well, please.

Thank you.

Just line up after the next speakers.

I would give them a chance to speak.

So if you could call the three speakers that you have and then the principals can line up.

Okay.

Alejo is online and uh our public defender is present.

We'll hear from him as well.

One minute.

Welcome.

Hi, good afternoon, board.

Uh, my name is Steve Robert Ramirez.

I'm a resident of Berkeley, and I'm an advocate centrally in the Fruitville community.

Uh, I'm here to support the proposed 1.9 million increase to the ACELEP contract.

I stand before you today, not just as a resident and an advocate, but someone who works daily with our county's day labor community.

Uh, the constant suffocating question of will tomorrow be the day my family separated is a trauma that pervases our community for our neighbors.

Sometimes the only way to get a few hours of sleep is to push that thought away.

And ACELEP is that critical lifeline against that paralyzing uncertainty.

Um, like you guys have seen, there is a 500% increase in calls.

I want to humanize these numbers.

These are just these are not just numbers.

There are families who are in crisis who trust this hotline as their last line of defense.

I urge the board to fully fund this contract expansion.

Uh let's ensure that no family in Alameda faces the fear of deportation alone.

Thank you so much.

Hi, good afternoon.

My name is Monique Berlanga, executive Director, Central Legal de la Rasa.

I'm here on behalf of a CLIP this afternoon to ask for your support for item 14.1.

Um, I think as you know, when we rebuilt and relaunched a CLIP early the earlier this year, it was designed for a very different reality than what we're facing right now.

The reality has shifted dramatically, as you've heard speaker after speaker say the call volume has increased by over 500%.

Arrests in our region have more than doubled.

With current funding, we can barely sustain weekday coverage right now.

There's often just one person staffing the hotline, and there's days where we're getting over 50 calls a day.

We are bursting at the seams.

The rapid response system is stretched to its breaking point.

Meanwhile, we can look at other counties, for instance, Contra Costa, who invested 3.1 million dollars per year in their rapid response system.

Alameda County serving more immigrants funds less than a fifth of that.

This is why we're here today to ask for an additional 1.98 million to scale this essential safety net to meet the reality on the ground.

This funding will allow us to expand hotline coverage to seven days a week and ensure that at any given time we have at least two to three responders available with surge capacity that'll allow us to add attorneys and paralegals to continue to meet the ongoing legal needs and defend constitutional rights, as well as to add post-arrest support staff so that after the arrest, families are not left alone to face these crises and navigate how to find their loved ones and how to rebuild their lives.

Lastly, it'll help us build out our volunteer and communications infrastructure to get trusted multilingual information out quickly.

This is about making sure that when someone is taken, when a family is in crisis, someone answers, someone shows up, and folks in our county have someone to stand besides them.

We have a proud legacy here of leading with equity and justice, and we're asking you to meet this moment with the resources it demands because our families can't wait.

Thank you for your time and leadership.

Is this for the public comment part?

Oh thank you.

Hello, Board of Supervisors.

I'm here to um uplift uh the continued importance of uh this the moment that we're in.

Uh we're seeing a lot happening nationwide, and these last nine months uh a lot has been built in terms of like infrastructure.

Uh communities, you know, things are like leveling up as well, and um there's still an uh continued importance to continue um uh this momentum of like what's being done on the ground and supporting community to one know their rights, but also understand like how to like uh uphold those rights, defend themselves and yeah, be informed as well.

Thank you.

Yes, I'm Lest.

Um good afternoon, supervisors.

My name is Lisa Knox.

I'm the co-director of California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, the lead organization for the Accord Removal Defense Collaborative.

And I'm here today to ask for your continued and expanded support, not just for our collaborative, but for all of the organizations who are supporting immigrants in our community.

We need the Alameda Public Defender's Office to make sure that people immigrants aren't doubly punished for infractions literally as small as jumping a turnstile.

We need a Clip to be frontline responders when immigrants are in crisis when ICE knocks on someone's door.

We need a cord to increase representation and long-term legal support for those immigrants.

And we need Akudir to organize immigrants and immigrant workers to defend their communities.

So I'm really urging you not just to support our work, but to support all of that work.

And you've already heard numbers, so you know, I won't rehash how we're under attack.

I want to share a success story because I think the numbers don't really convey that these are human lives.

And this is, I just heard today of an accord client who's a South Asian man who's been in our county since he was in elementary school, who's also a single father who supports his elderly mother.

He was released on bond several years ago, and now ICE has told us they want to redetain him for no reason other than they need to meet a detention quota.

They need to fill beds.

And so luckily, with uh a lot of support from uh Raha and the team at the Alameda County Public Defender's Office with dozens and dozens of hours of work from CCIJ attorneys and other partners, we were able to petition a federal court who has ordered that ICE cannot redetain him.

And so that's a father who's still in our community, that's a child who's not going into the foster care system, that's an elder who isn't losing their caregiver, and that's a business that's not going to lose their worker.

And so that was a huge victory, but again, it was a huge effort.

It took a lot of us and a lot of ours to make that happen.

So I think what I really want in part is that we know when we fight, we win, but we can't do that without your support.

Um, and with this funding, we're not just going to continue the work that we're doing, we want to add additional partners.

And we recognize the AAPI community, the black immigrant community have been underserved and overlooked, and we are specifically looking to add partners that will serve those communities.

Um, well, we all serve those communities that specialize, I should say, in serving those communities.

So I I want to reiterate what others have said and just really thank you for your leadership and your vision in funding this work and urge you to continue doing so and approve item 14.1 today.

Thank you.

And I believe the last um speaker would be the public defender's office.

Welcome.

Can you hear me?

Um, thank you as always for making time to address important issues such as the right of immigrants in Alameda County to access legal services as well as the right of indigent immigrants to access opportunities to legalize their status.

And I think uh Lisa Knox, as always, uh eloquently uh laid out how important it is to support really all of the different actors in our community in doing all that they do.

I think we all play very distinct um and varied roles, and it really does take all of us to uh provide the type of protection that I think we're all hoping is going to be provided over this period.

I want to just take a moment since a lot has been discussed about the other aspects.

I want to address uh the allocation for litigation fees and what's happening with these application fees, just to clarify effectively all forms of status, right, that you apply for require the filing of increasingly complicated, increasingly invasive applications.

Applications that but for you know, one thing is left out can be rejected and sent back.

Um, and now with the passage of July uh with HR 1 on July 4th, we see that those fees have raised in crazy ways that Supervisor Marquez already laid out.

Things that were $100 or $1,000, things that were $200 or $900, things that were $1,500 or $3,000.

Um, and this is appalling in and of itself, but I want to just take a brief moment to lay out the context within which this is happening.

While this is happening, immigration judges that granted people relief are being fired.

As that's happening, military lawyers who have no experience in immigration law are being hired as immigration judges.

While that's happening, the Board of Immigration Appeals that issues precedential decisions has since January effectively issued 99.9% of its precedential decisions have been in favor of the Department of Homeland Security.

So it's not just that the application fees are going up, it's that we are fighting more and more and harder and harder just to get to the places that we were where we were presenting evidence.

Even our ability to even present evidence to make a case to tell a story has been impacted, which means that we anticipate having to appeal more because we're gonna be losing more because of who is going to be at the bench making a lot of these decisions.

And so just the idea that an appeal, just the right to challenge an immigration judge's decision that used to cost a thousand dollars, now costing a thousand dollars or more per case, really just highlights right why overall um we need to protect our indigent clients as well as everyone else in Alameda County.

Thank you so much for your support, as always.

We're good.

Okay, a good leader knows his staff, and and that's good.

With that said, we're gonna close public comment then and bring it back for deliberation and questions.

Um I I'll just start by saying I want everybody to recognize indeed, um, and thank the public, those that are here still sticking it out to the very end, those that have left, but probably continuing to watch.

Thank you.

Indeed, trying times, difficult times, uncertain times, fearful times, we hear that, and I don't think that this is even a very polarizing topic.

I think we're all uh sympathetic and um concerned about our communities.

Indeed, Alameda County, the fourth most diverse county in the country, fourth, seventh, something like that, very diverse, very large, very complex.

That said, I think it's also um this is kind of one of balance.

We have um competing resources, we have a big meeting next week where we're gonna be talking about measure W.

We've allocated a lot of resources already.

It's great that we have some data before us, but we also have a contract in place for many services through March, and um here it is months in advance of that.

Um, and I want to just keep everything in context.

So some questions that I have in the in when we originally approved this funding, we were going to get partner funding from notable nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area.

I think we were going to put some in, and there were other nonprofits that were gonna put some in to help provide these services.

Did we get other I forget the names, but other foundations that were going to chip in, Supervisor Fortunatabas, can you elucidate?

Yes, I um for the original allocation, the uh match uh that was part of the 3.5, not to the public defender but to the three coalitions.

I believe that uh foundations have matched that funding.

I know for a CLIP that has been matched, and that was um 700,000 to match our 700,000.

And as Supervisor Marquez says, we are actively continuing to have those conversations with funders as the community-based organizations are.

In fact, I think we have a meeting this week to continue to push on private funders to match how the county is stepping up.

So 700K from private funds.

Do we know the names of those private funders?

Or if our partners wish to share those names, they can do we know.

Sure.

I can speak on behalf of a CLIP.

We are honored to have support from the San Francisco Foundation from the Sobrato Foundation Philanthropies Foundation, YNH Soda, and I'm probably forgetting a couple other partners.

But what about Akhenavi and Cellerbach?

Zellerbach, okay.

Yes, yes, and a lot of um donor advised funds through the San Francisco Foundation where individual donors have given one-time funds.

Totaling around 700.

Correct.

Okay.

Sisters of St.

Mary as well.

And I'm I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody, but that's generally right.

Is that how much we had expected to receive from nonprofits?

Another question that I have.

One more that wasn't mentioned.

I don't believe I heard the California endowment.

They've also provided funding.

Great.

And I don't know if the California wellness was mentioned, California Wellness Foundation was mentioned, I believe they have, and the Akenati Foundation.

So there's a range of funders who've supported all three of the coalitions.

And are they expected to match additional funding that we may or may not approve today?

Our hope is that they will.

We are working actively on that.

Okay, but they haven't committed.

We'll always working on it.

Okay.

And just to be really clear, one of the four recommendations that the ACT committee brought forward was to establish an emergency assistance fund.

The county, as a body, is not participating in that because the San Francisco Foundation stepped up with the mayors of three cities, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, and they're collectively raising 10 million dollars for emergency food assistance rent, et cetera.

Supervisor Marquez and I are contributing from our offices $50,000.

Uh, but that particular uh request will not be brought to the board because it's being led by our uh private foundations.

Oh, that's amazing.

Um, with regard to the comments and the request for fees that have dramatically increased for filing and applications, is there a legal mechanism to provide assistance in that regard?

I'm just asking because I've heard before there are concerns about gifts of public funds, things like that.

Is it even possible?

So I have not studied all of the things in this letter, but what I can tell you is your board has in the past waived all types of fees.

If there are fees to, I mean fees that we collect.

Court fees, these are court fees.

So are we you waived memory serves me, and maybe the county administrator can help me, but we waived like collection on fees that we would be entitled to collect that we charged.

These are fees to go through the immigration court process.

So they're not our local superior court.

Is that correct?

Yeah.

And the reason why the public defender, we've already uh invested 1.3 million dollars in staffing, but as Raja mentioned, the fees have escalated.

So now this is a new identified need, which is providing funding to pay for those fees because when they initially came to us, those fees hadn't escalated yet because HR1 was adopted on July 4th.

We advanced that investment back in March.

So we didn't have that information yet.

I'm wondering if it's legal to pay people for their fees.

So as you know, one of the responsibilities of the county as a safety net organization is to provide indigent services and certainly the public defender provides indigent-based services.

And it's my understanding that based on your prior board actions that you are um provide you have authorized the public defender to provide services in this space.

So it would seem appropriate.

Well, I don't know, I won't say it would seem appropriate, it would seem um legal to uh incur the court costs in order to allow those services to be provided if that's your board's will.

Sure, and I would be supportive.

I just don't want to get sued by the taxpayers.

So, I would also just note that in addition to your board waiving fees, some of them have also been waived by statute through the legislature, and in some cases the state has actually backfilled the loss of the revenue.

Okay, very good.

Um we talked about arrests going up.

Are these arrests for immigration purposes?

Are we seeing 400 or 393, 638, 558?

These are arrests in Alameda County for immigration violations, or are these arrests for other crimes that happen to be committed?

I'm gonna ask a CLIP if you don't mind to elaborate, um, because a CLIP provided that data point, but my understanding is these are arrests in the surrounding area, but we know that they're residents of Alameda County.

I don't know if you could elaborate if this is specifically at immigration court or is it encompassing all arrests?

It it's not criminal arrest, it's ICE arrests basically.

Immigration related enforcement arrests of residents in the San Francisco area of responsibility of immigration court.

Okay, I was just heartened to hear the qu comment about filling a quota.

That's pretty bad.

People are feeling quotas, people are going to court to fill a quote.

That's pretty bad.

If people are filling quotas, I don't I don't think that's too cool.

Those are my questions.

I'll uh go to Supervisor Miley.

Thank you, President Howard.

And I thank uh Supervisor Bass and Marquez for the presentation.

Um very thoroughly put together and researched.

I want to thank the um the countless number of speakers.

Many of you are repetitive, but it is what it is.

Um my issue is I wanna get a sense because I want to get this resolved, so we're we wanna raise it by 1.9, 540,000, one million for six months.

So are we talking that's just for the CLIP hotline?

And no, you're right.

So you have to read each section.

They all meet a specific need in the entire ecosystem.

Yeah.

So is it one point nine, five hundred and forty one thousand, and another million?

Is that the total amount for six months?

It's extending the one-year contract by six months, so the contract would go through September 11th of next year.

So if we were to double that, because that's about is that it's about 3.5, right?

So if we double that, would that be $7 million for the year?

And would that put us kind of because I know I heard one speaker say what's what they're doing in Contra Casa County, um is far greater than what we're doing, but we have more, you know, more need.

There's more going on.

So would that put us commiserate with Contra Costa County?

Would that reach the need if we were to appropriate seven million dollars?

I mean, I'm just trying to get a sense as opposed to this continuing to be piecemealed to us.

No, we're still behind.

Um this is an emergency to extend for six months.

Um as was mentioned earlier, surrounding counties have an office of immigrant and refugee affairs to really facilitate and courting these efforts since we don't have that.

We're doing our best to be responsive.

So in a better scenario, we would have that office so we could conduct uh additional support and have the infrastructure since we don't have it.

We're doing everything we can to meet the urgency of the moment because we can't wait for one to two years to initiate that office.

So this is an interim solution, it's not long term.

So this will take us through September of uh 11, 2026.

And I know you mentioned in your presentation of the Office of Immigrant Services.

So that's what we're doing.

We don't know, we don't know what the state is.

We haven't started that work yet.

Or anything.

No.

Because ultimately, are you saying if that were in place, then we we would appropriate funds through that office to um coordinate both the county and with outside.

If you recall when before we've been formed the Act Committee, many members of the public came to us to tell us that the services we were asking for in the first board letter had already been initiated in other counties because they never stopped that infrastructure when Trump was in office the first time.

Unfortunately, this county, we let it lapse in 2021.

We had the recommendation of the office.

We didn't advance that work.

So we are essentially uh playing catch up here.

So at what point, and maybe you don't know this, or supervisor to know this, but at what point will we have a sense of the office?

I mean, I think we can conversation with support the office, but yeah.

We're in conversation with Philanthropy right now.

We've submitted a proposal so that we are asking if they can pay uh consultant to conduct the study.

We still need to brainstorm around what the community process is gonna look like.

Um we obviously want to engage the public, but doing that it will slow down the process as well.

So we're trying to strike that balance.

No decision has been made, but we are in communication with philanthropy to see how they can partner with us.

You were asking earlier, President Howard, about what private philanthropy is donating.

So these are our efforts.

We're not asking our local community to pay for everything.

We are working really, really um strongly and in partnership with philanthropy to leverage dollars and to get as much external support as possible.

But that process we are um we've started the conversation, no decision has been made.

So when we come back on October 21st, we're gonna be talking about staffing from the county side and as an interim lay us on coordinator as we further develop that process with philanthropy.

So this I know uh we're gonna bring that up next week.

So is that going to be an additional expenditure on top of what's being asked today?

No, what we're asking is to identify internal county staff to be that liaison and coordinator.

So it'll be staff time, but it's not um new positions, it's with housed within current agencies.

I see.

Um in other counties, Contra Costa, San, San Francisco, Santa Clara, do they have offices?

Yes.

Do we know what the budgetary amount is?

Between two and four million, depending on the size.

We met with Contra Costa County yesterday.

They have a staff of five.

Um, it was an 18-month process to get their office started, and theirs is more comprehensive.

It's not just immigrant refugee refugee affairs, it also encompasses social justice matters, so really um sense of belonging, any vulnerable communities, that's what they're charged with is supporting those populations.

Okay.

So it's more expansive than what we and what we're going off of is a recommendation that was made in 2021.

So this is legacy work from Supervisor Via and Chan.

So we're trying to piggyback on that.

Yeah.

So I appreciate the work of all together.

Now, in my mind, if you know we've got we're in the fiscal year now, fiscal year 2526.

And then we're looking and this is going to carry us into the new fiscal year 2627.

It would be helpful if all together, if we all together committee, if you could get us a sense by the time we before we start fiscal year 2627, a sense of what the office is, you know, how much we might have to budget for an office, even if we don't budget it in the next fiscal year, but the next fiscal year, if we get a sense of that, plus what do we need to provide to community partners in order to address this need?

Uh, because I want to try to get a sense of holistically what kind of money are we talking about budgetary-wise next fiscal year, following fiscal year, etc., etc.

I think we could do that.

Like in the interim, we could survey surrounding counties and look at the size.

And um, I know we're committed to uh a phased approach.

You know, the office may start with just one or two positions and then expand.

So I appreciate that feedback.

That's helpful.

And you know, Supervisor Marquez, I know you're very impatient, you know, patient with um a lot of things, you know, um oversight and things of that nature and capital, et cetera.

So I'm just putting a sense of urgency if we can kind of get this laid out so we can budget for it.

I think it'd be helpful, and hopefully, because I think, as everyone's pointed out, uh, it could get worse before it gets better, and hopefully at some point we'll we'll see ourselves, you know, through this crisis of this administration.

Um, but until that point in time, I think we need to try to um project what are we going to need 26, 27, 27, 28, and maybe 2829.

And that's I think that's all I all I have because I think you did a very thorough presentation.

I just want to get a sense of the of the numbers and the budgetary, because it's uh President Howard pointed out, we've got an and you know this, we have a number of comedian, you know, demands.

Uh we might have to triage based on Medi-Cal.

We must have, you know, there's food insecurity, you know, seniors need, I mean, so it's mental health prevention and early invention.

So just trying to get a sense, budgetary-wise, how we lay all this out going forward.

If I uh may also partly address um Supervisor Miley's comment, um, thank you so much for making that comment.

We um certainly in the Act for All committee meeting can take that up.

I think we do want to look at this current administration and slightly after to be forward thinking.

Um, I also wanted to share that the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors recently approved um working regionally in order to develop an approach to ICE enforcement.

So Santa Clara is going to be convening the nine representatives from the nine County Bay Area in order to look regionally about how we can all work together.

So I think that will be another point of information for us to bring back and understand how we sort of fit into this regional um situation that we are in.

And then uh lastly, just wanted to point out um our requests of 3.57 million is about 1.3 or 1.4% of what we're setting aside in the measure W Essential Services Fund.

So I think it's a really smart investment.

Thank you.

Supervisor Tam.

Um Thank you, President Halbert.

And I also want to thank all the speakers, especially um those that are tirelessly advocating for the immigrant community, as a daughter of immigrants, I need that help and championship as well.

I think um Supervisor Halbert, President Halbert is correct that we um on this board collectively and prior boards have always supported the immigrant community, recognizing their contributions to the county.

And uh the interesting thing is that we have a history of rapid response.

Before Trump took office, we had 300 families that were in jeopardy of not being able to come in and get housing, and it was shared with Santa Clara County.

Supervisor Miley was chair at the time of the Social Service.

We allocated $876,000 to provide housing for those families, mainly from Afghan, Afghanistan.

And then I mean, what we're facing with right now is the rapid response we did back in February when we allocated three and a half million dollars without going through the benefit of an RFP or a vetting process for a lot of these uh community-based groups that have done uh work, but we also want to make sure that they serve all of the immigrants.

And I wanted to underscore that because the reporting right now uh shows that there are significant gaps in certain immigrant communities, especially when, for example, over 553,000 residents in Alameda County are of Asian descent, and 62 percent of them are immigrants, and so I wanted to see that in um in some of the built into the reporting and built into the um the contracts that we let out.

The one thing I wanted to understand um strategically is we allocated $3.5 million $700,000 to a CLUP, and $1 million to Accord, ACUDER was $500,000, and the public defender's office was $1.3 million.

That was from March of this year to March of next year.

And so I wanted to understand how much is left in those contracts, and are they not going to be sufficient to meet the uh the needs and services through March of next year, because we also in the September 30th meeting allocated $2.5 million and affirmed it at the last board meeting to provide immigrant services, and that's on top of what we had put in place back in March before Measure W.

So I wanted to see you know where those services are going and how uh we can best use them.

So supervisor Tam, you're looking at me, I'll try to find answer as best I can in terms of where the services are going.

I think that was shared in the presentation by Supervisor Fortunately and Marquez.

So for the public, Andrea Ford, Alameda County Social Services Agency Director.

Um, in terms of the amount that has been invoiced, so for um a CLIP, the initial allocation was $700,000.

We received two invoices in the amount totaling 185,733,000 with an invoice pending in the amount of $33,108.

That's for CLIP.

Out of the 700,000, 185,000 has been paid to date.

Yes.

Oh, and then um one invoice pending 33,108 dollars is pending payment.

Okay.

And so for Chinese Progressive Association, we've paid a total of 131,396,000 for invoices submitted March through June of 2025, and that was from the initial allocation of $500,000.

Okay.

100 million, I mean, one million was allocated for the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice.

To date, no invoices have been submitted.

No invoices out of the million dollars, that's correct.

I believe we did submit invoices.

There was just um an issue with the way they were formatted, so we were asked to resubmit those invoices.

So how much we thought as if for 250,000 dollars for the first out of the 1 million that was allocated.

For Q1, we're we're doing the the invoicing quarterly, okay.

If I may, supervisor Tam, one of the reasons for the augmentation and the extension is to um allow each of these organizations to scale up.

You know, I was a nonprofit director for a couple decades, and in order to make a job offer, for example, and I think we all know this because it's true here at the county too, in order to make a job offer to have an additional person staffing the hotline or doing verifications or an additional person providing legal services or family support, um, there needs to be certainty of funding, and so part of what we are trying to do here is create that certainty of resources so that we can scale up this work.

So that certainty didn't come with the 2.5 million we allocated on September 30th for immigrant services, I think it's important to flag since we allocated the first investment, multiple things have happened, including the National Guard showing up in Southern California and kidnapping people, uh the passage of HR1, uh someone being detained in our courthouse, we see their rest.

So that's why the augmentation is where we're responding to the escalation of threats.

That's why, and it's it it this request is an extension as well as an augmentation to address the entire landscape has shifted from March to today.

Okay, so um, in terms of the 1.3 million in the public defender's office, because they're they're asking for $50,000 for the next six months.

So how much of the 1.3 has already been used, I believe we've brought on three new attorneys already.

Is that correct?

Yeah.

I'm trying to get you the exact number right now.

I don't have it.

We've hired three attorneys who started in September, and so whatever that would be for a salary employee benefits from September until now, so we've expended.

Okay.

So I appreciate the fact that it's not known.

Uh but usually, like when we get requests, at least when our office gets requests for funding, we like to see a composite budget and the cash flow that's been used.

And it's not that the services aren't necessary and justified, it's just we we need to understand, since these are public dollars, how they're being spent and whether they're spent uh strategically and judiciously in context of all the other needs.

Like, for example, yesterday, uh the carefirst jails last presentation that we received.

We were told that there's going to be a huge need with the collaborative courts because of HR1.

And I know your office has also been very supportive in trying to uh provide um uh legal representation, for example, to try to make sure that people uh don't end up in jail for minor infractions, but because of HR one, there isn't going to be federal funding that will be available for them, and so that's something we would have to backfill as well.

Sure.

So I think the original quest that we had was 1.3 for salary and employee benefits, and that addressed a new increase and filing fees because we were not aware of that at the time.

So now we're coming back for that amount, but our initial allocation was for just salary and employee benefits for positions.

Um so that's why we're coming back for that money now.

Um and we were happy to get you the amount that's been spent on salary employee benefits and requesting that right now.

I can provide just like a little bit more information because I think for the public defender's office, it that really is the largest chunk.

The main chunk was three new attorneys, and we spent a good amount of time found fantastic attorneys.

Um, two started in mid-August, and the third one started September 2nd.

So that's still pretty fresh.

Another small allocation was for litigation fees that we know we only have for a year, so we are trying to be as judicious as possible, but we've already started billing, um, and that's things like expert fees, litigation costs, uh, country conditions experts, just basically the cost of litigating an immigration case.

There's a legal secretary position that we're still in the process of recruiting for, and then the last piece was to partly fund um another secretary position, which is in effect.

So it's it's effectively everything has happened or is in motion, um, except for the final hiring, which is of the legal secretary, and that's just because we couldn't do them all at the same time.

Okay, uh I would like to see um this information, frankly, uh before moving forward.

I have no problem with committing the two and a half million dollars that we already agreed to back on September 30th and reaffirmed uh that last meeting.

I just need to know how much is left over, how much we need, what the context is, and I think we can get all this information, hopefully by next week.

Um, absolutely.

Supervisor Halbert, I know you have a hard stop that's already passed, if I may.

Um, I've already canceled.

Okay.

Um, I can stay here all night, but I won't.

So if I may, um, you know, the three coalitions provided their reports, they're in the board packet, they're very transparent.

The uh quarter two reports are due on October 15th tomorrow, and you know, those will be also be publicly available.

Um, if you look closely at the um reports, you'll see that for the most part the metrics are being um met overwhelmingly, they're exceeding the metrics.

Um I certainly concur with Supervisor Tan that we need to make sure our entire immigrant community is served.

I was really happy to hear from a cord and help to connect them uh or reconnect them with a PILO to um explore the possibility of expanding that partnership, and I think where each of us has organizations that can connect more with each of these three coalitions, we should help support those connections.

Um given that this is a regular board meeting.

Our next regular board meeting is the 28th, and I'm not available on the 21st.

I would like to go ahead and make a motion.

I I still have some questions.

Okay, um I have no motion made or seconded.

I'm gonna just ask some additional questions.

Sure.

Concerns I have for my office are we have reached out.

I'm sorry, the county administrator, did you okay?

I need to read something into the record before you can ask uh in my office um and we have a significant um population that is experiencing again the trying times, the uncertainty, the fear.

Um, and I'll just say one example that my staff was telling me that you know we we received a note that says we don't have time to serve you guys, essentially.

We don't have time to serve district one, and so if we're going to do this or if I'm gonna support it, I would like to have the name and contact information of the executive director, a person dedicated to district one, maybe they have other functions too, but somebody, a go-to person from each of the organizations that I can personally call if needed.

I would like my staff to be able to call them instead, but if it if I have to do it, I will be personally involved in it.

But that we are going, we are going to serve the entire county.

Um we get forgotten sometimes out in East County and in South County.

Um, and so that's that's a real concern I have to Supervisor Tam's comments about the budgeting.

I I still don't know, you know, um, when we typically have social services or health or probation or defender's office, we have an army of financial analysts putting together how much is required to serve the needs.

Um questions I have are we've spent how many millions of dollars so far.

We have 1300 calls that we received.

We've had 32 ICE verifications, 32, and 170 legal proceedings.

So of the money that we've spent, I also heard another data point.

Sometimes we have one person on the phone and 50 calls in that I'm guessing eight-hour day.

But what we talked about months ago is um, and I know that every situation is different, but what are we doing to utilize technology so that we have the perfect response to every situation on the internet, on a YouTube, on something that we can maybe more effectively, more efficiently, because we're gonna be at this for quite some time.

It's hard for me to feel that a 24-hour hotline is going to be on a cost to serve measurement, and that's the metric that I would like to see.

How many dollars does it cost for each phone call to be answered?

I don't know if it was in the 70 pages that we got yesterday, and I haven't gone through it yet, so we're being asked to vote on something that we got that I got yesterday.

So I still have those concerns.

I we're going to get there.

Um I'm certain that when I make the request for bodies that will serve District One, we'll get there.

But here we have again this piecemeal uh feeling that I just can't go for it.

So um can we get I guess the service provisor here?

Can we get somebody dedicated where I can get the name and a contact information?

So I don't have to have it now.

I'm just looking for a Alejo volunteered.

Uh Alejo, Jennifer Alejo with um two woo and acudir volunteer to be the district one for that or point person.

What group is that?

Um it's Trabajador Sunidos Workers United.

And how about the others?

I we don't have to get the answer today.

I'm sure we'll get that.

Okay.

But that's gonna be respectfully.

You can reach out to any one of our offices that have been leading these efforts, and we'd be more than happy to coordinate, but also um the maps, the data clearly shows every principal has done outreach in every part of our county, and sometimes people ask for things that we're not even providing.

So to say I'm demanding services, that's very vague.

What is that service, right?

So I think we need more details when it comes to situations like that.

So I would really appreciate the who what where when so that way we can follow up because we're that's what we've said strongly since the beginning.

We are committed to ensure that every person in this county gets service.

This isn't a north, south, central, east-west, this is the entire county.

And to be quite frank, uh, with all due respect, I feel like the frustration is misplaced.

We're in this dilemma because we don't have the infrastructure.

We're doing our best to be responsive, but um, by design, we don't have the infrastructure.

That's why it is piecemeal because we don't have the infrastructure.

I like the basic needs.

I like the basic needs fund because again, that is geared and targeted towards those as I understand it who are truly in the throes of desperation, their family is um torn apart or they lost a uh wage earner, or um they the that is truly at ground zero in the moment.

Who's gonna be managing that?

If the cities raise 10 million dollars and we chip in, and I'm willing to chip in some as well.

Who's gonna actually manage that?

So it's sponsored by the San Francisco Foundation, and they are working directly with uh the mission asset fund.

Hopefully, I got their name right.

That was who they partnered with during COVID to do a similar basic needs fund.

Okay, so we'll get a name and number at the mission, mission asset fund.

Okay, yes, we'd be happy to connect your office to them.

Okay, I'm gonna consider a grant from my office as well to match um your grants.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So now a motion, any other, oh yeah.

I wanted to read into the record a correction, and also just um in looking at the information that was provided in the board letter just to provide a little bit of clarity based on the information that's been shared today in terms of the three contracts that you're being um asked to augment and extend the current base contracts for the 12 months of March 25 through March 26 is 2.2 million.

That's what's been approved.

The recommendation before you is to augment that by 3.5 almost 3.6 million, which would bring the total contracts amounts to 5.7 million for 18 months.

And if you just extrapolate that, that would be roughly 3.8 million a year would be the value of the augmented and extended contracts.

Just put that in perspective for the board.

So 2.2 is what the current contracts are with the proposed augmentation for 18 months, the total would be 5.7 million.

And if you look at that on a monthly basis on that would equate to 3.8 million on an annual basis.

And that's to serve all the needs of all the immigrants of all the districts and not just immigrants, but refugees.

Yeah?

To Supervisor Miles' point, is that it?

So we'll see.

So before you it's it for now.

Okay, take an action.

I want to read into the record a correction.

Um, you received a revised letter due to a um transposition on the numbers.

So I want to read into the record to correct the agenda on item 14.1.

The um allocation that's being requested is 3,574537.

And the amount that's being requested from the emergency and transition support measure W contingency fund of three million dollars is 1, 74, 537.

So it's correct in the letter that's before you and that in what is online.

I'm correcting the agenda.

That was I'm glad you read that in motion by Bass, second by Marquez.

Yes, I'd like to make a motion to adopt the Alameda County Together for all ad hoc committee recommendations to augment and extend contracts for legal assistance and other support services to immigrants and refugees in Alameda County.

Chair, would you like me to read the entirety of all the recommendations, or will that suffice?

Okay, and including recommendations A, A1, A2, A3, Recommendation B, C, D, and E.

And I'm happy to second.

As amended, which was read into the record as amended.

Supervisor Marley.

Prevention, early invention for mental health.

No, clinicians for the diversion court, um, around mental health, reparations, the Office of Unincorporated Services, Sheriff's Oversight Committee, yeah.

Oh, department for the food insecurity.

I mean, when we had COVID, we had over a billion dollars of request.

So I'm supporting this, but like I said, I'd like to get a sense of where we're going with it so we can look at all that in the context of the demands that are going to be on us.

HR1 with Medi-Cal and the needs of the, you know, the hospitals, um, the federally qualified clinics, other CBOs, so et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

So I'm supporting it, but I'd like to see it.

Yeah.

All right.

So that's where I am.

Mr.

President, I am also supportive of the motion.

I want to be explicit and I hope that in the contracts that there could be recognition or amendments to not just have Supervisor Fortunatabash use her own funding to uh partner with APILO, but that there'd be explicit outreach to the Asian American community, particularly the immigrant community, because Fremont, Dublin, and Union City have the highest amount of Asians and immigrants in those cities, and that would cover I hope district one.

Certainly the largest Afghan population outside of Afghanistan.

That's true, and that need services.

I I I recognize they're different than those facing other immigration problems, the refugee problems, but motion's been made and seconded.

I'll ask for roll public.

Supervisor Marquez.

Aye.

Supervisor Tam?

Aye.

Supervisor Miley?

Aye.

President Halbert.

Aye.

Okay, with that said, we have the sure.

I I think Supervisor Fortunato Bass wants to take a photo or something.

No, we're we're almost done, so we can wait.

Everybody wait.

All we're gonna do is take public comment on items that are not on today's agenda.

That's it, right?

We don't no closed session.

Do we have any speakers in the room or online?

We want to make public comment on items not on today's agenda.

There are no speakers.

Then we are adjourned.