Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Meeting - October 25, 2024
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Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Meeting - October 25, 2024
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors met on October 25, 2024, to address a wide-ranging agenda including election integrity, land use, homeless services, and the Black Child Legacy Campaign. The meeting began with a statement from the Chair on election laws and public comments, followed by approval of consent items, a public hearing on a benefit category change, and multiple presentations and votes on housing and homelessness initiatives. The board also recognized October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and honored community contributions.
Consent Calendar
- Items 2 through 50 were approved as part of the consent calendar, including an ordinance amending Sacramento County Code 4.54 relating to intoxicating cannabinoids from hemp (item 9) and an ordinance related to management leave (item 11).
- Item 24 (American River Parkway Cal Expo Area Maintenance Road and Fire Break Realignment Project) was adopted after discussion. Supervisor Cerna expressed concern over last-minute correspondence from Save the American River Association but determined staff had met legal requirements. The item passed unanimously.
- Item 36 (retroactive authority for new open enrollment contract pool for foster youth intensive placement services) was approved. Supervisor Hill noted the county's goal to transition from operating welcome homes to contracting with private providers. The item passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Early in the meeting, public comments were heard on non-agenda items regarding election integrity. Lily DeVall (League of Women Voters) supported mail-in voting and early voting, citing extremely rare voter fraud. Claudia Bonsignor and Paula Lee expressed confidence in the county's election procedures. Kenneth Calvin Jr. and Lynn Reeves, representing New California State, demanded hand-counted one-day elections with ID requirements, alleging widespread fraud and urging the county to cease compliance with AB 969.
- On item 24, Betsy Wyland (Save the American River Association) opposed approval of the parkway plan amendment on consent, citing lack of early notification. Diana Pogetto (American River Parkway Foundation) and Scott Abbott (Sacramento Running Association) supported the project, noting its benefits for fire prevention and youth cross-country. Another speaker, Kathleen Mead, expressed concerns about wildlife impacts and lack of communication.
- On item 57, multiple speakers supported the amended unlawful camping ordinance. Liz Williams (Metro Chamber) and Lisa Sanchez (River City Waterway Alliance) voiced support, with Sanchez requesting creeks and waterways be included under the 48-hour notice. District Attorney Thien Ho and Undersheriff Mike Siegler also supported the ordinance, emphasizing it aligns with the Grants Pass decision and provides consistency across jurisdictions.
- On item 62, numerous community members and organization representatives spoke in support of the Black Child Legacy Campaign, sharing personal stories of impact and gratitude for the county's investment.
Discussion Items
- The Chair read a lengthy statement addressing a letter from the New California State group, affirming the county's compliance with state election laws, including AB 969, and rejecting calls for hand-counted elections. The statement emphasized the county's commitment to fair, free, and transparent elections in accordance with the California Constitution and Elections Code.
- Item 55: George Hills Company presented the 2023-2024 annual report on liability claims. Discussion included a spike in claims in fiscal year 2022-23 due to weather and childhood sexual abuse lawsuits, and the impact of mining case settlements. Supervisor Cerna requested breakdowns of sheriff department claims by type (e.g., auto, excessive force). The report was received.
- Item 56: Mary Liz Paulson (Housing Choice Voucher Program) provided a detailed update on the program, including the transition to a single countywide housing authority, the voucher issuance process, landlord participation, and the shortfall in funding. Supervisors raised concerns about inspection delays, rate reasonableness, and the need for better collaboration between SHRA and county departments. Chairman Kennedy called for a review of the governance structure with SHRA. The item was discussed at length but no formal action was taken beyond receiving the presentation.
- Item 57: The board introduced an ordinance amending Chapter 9.120 relating to unlawful camping on public property. Supervisors Hume and Desmond explained the amendment simplifies the existing critical infrastructure ordinance to align with the Grants Pass decision and create consistency with other jurisdictions. The board heard public testimony and then voted unanimously to approve the introduction.
- Item 60: Emily Halkin (Department of Homeless Services and Housing) presented a request for funding to complete the Joshua's House Hospice Program, a 15-bed end-of-life care facility for homeless individuals located at 3630 Larchwood Drive. The project faced a capital gap of about $737,000 after Anthem Blue Cross contributed $400,000. The board approved allocating $1.9 million from American River Parkway funds to cover the gap. Speakers included Marlene Fitzpatrick (project founder), Craig Dreissig (YOLO CARES), and multiple supervisors who praised the project as a model for the state. The vote was unanimous.
- Item 61: The board approved a $28.9 million construction contract with Thompson Builders Corporation for the Watt Avenue Service Center and Safe Stay project. The project will include 225 safe stay cabins, 50 safe parking spaces, and 75 emergency weather respite beds on a 13-acre site. Funding comes from $32.7 million in ARPA funds and $1.9 million from American River Parkway funds. The board discussed the economic impact and community benefits. The vote was unanimous.
- Item 62: The Black Child Legacy Campaign (BCLC) presented its fiscal year 2022-23 annual report. The report highlighted progress in reducing African American child deaths in four key areas: perinatal conditions, infant sleep-related deaths, child abuse and neglect homicides, and third-party homicides. County departments including DCFAS, Probation, and First Five Sacramento shared data. Key statistics: 33% reduction in overall African American child deaths since baseline, 63% reduction in child abuse and neglect homicides, but a 38% increase in third-party homicides. The board received the report and commended the collaborative efforts. Numerous community partners spoke in support.
- Item 63: The board discussed the Grow Florin community partnership and a proposed good neighbor policy for homeless solutions. The project, funded by behavioral health bridge housing, will provide 72 transitional housing beds for individuals aged 55 and older at Florin and Power Inn. Supervisor Cerna requested that the good neighbor policy be formally adopted by the board at a future meeting to ensure accountability. The board expressed support for the project and the policy development.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously, including items 24 and 36.
- Item 54 (Terracina at Wild Hawk benefit category change): Public hearing held; one protest ballot received but 100% in favor; the board approved the change unanimously.
- Item 57 (Unlawful camping ordinance): Introduced and approved unanimously; will be brought back for adoption on November 5.
- Item 60 (Joshua's House): Approved $1.9 million allocation from American River Parkway funds unanimously.
- Item 61 (Watt Avenue Safe Stay): Approved $28.9 million construction contract and funding allocation unanimously.
- Item 62 (Black Child Legacy Campaign): Report received and praised; no formal vote required.
- Item 64 (Nominations): Various appointments and continuations approved unanimously; specific nominations for First Five Commission, Behavioral Health Youth Advisory Board, and Commission on the Status of Women and Girls were approved.
- Closed Session: The board recessed to closed session at 2:30 PM; no action reported.
Meeting Transcript
Board ready. All right. Ready? Sitting in poll. Good morning. Welcome to the Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024 meeting of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Would the clerk please call the roll? Yes, good morning, Supervisors Desmond, Frost, Hume, Kennedy. Here. And you have a quorum. And let's let the record reflect also that uh Supervisor Cerna will be arriving a little later today. Thank you. This meeting of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors is cable cast live on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast and ATT Uverse cable systems. The meeting is closed captioned and live streamed at Metro 14Live.Sat County.gov and can be heard live for free on 96.5 FMKUBU radio. Today's meeting will be repeated Friday, October 25th at 6 p.m. on Channel 14. And this meeting can also be viewed at YouTube.com forward slash Metro Cable 14. The Board of Supervisors fosters public engagement during the meeting and encourages public participation, civility, and use of courteous language. The board does not condone the use of profanity, vulgar language, gestures, or other inappropriate behavior, including personal attacks or threats directed towards any meeting participant. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Each speaker will be given two minutes to make a public comment and are limited to making one comment per agenda or off agenda item. Please be mindful of the public comment procedures to avoid being interrupted while making your comment. Comments made by the public during the Board of Supervisors meetings may include uh may include information that could be inaccurate or misleading, particularly concerning topics related to public health, voter registrations, and elections. The County of Sacramento does not endorse or validate the accuracy of public statements made during these open public forms. The recordings are shared to provide transparency and access to proceedings of public meetings. To make a comment in person, please fill out a speaker request form and hand it to clerk staff. The chairperson will open public comments for each agenda or off agenda item and direct the clerk to call the name of each speaker. When the clerk calls your name, please come to the podium and make your comment. If a speaker is unavailable to make a comment prior to the closing of public comments, the speaker waves their request to speak, and the clerk will file the speaker request form in the record. The clerk will manage the timer and allow each speaker two minutes to make a comment. You may also send written comments by email to board clerk at SACCounty.gov, and your comments will be routed to the board and filed in the record. If you need an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act or for medical or other reasons, please see clerk, staff or assistance, or contact the clerk's office at 916-874-5451, or by email at board clerk at SAC County.gov. Thank you in advance for your courtesy and understanding of the meeting procedures. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Will you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag. Thank you very much. At this time, uh I have a brief statement I would like to read. Uh it is not unheard of but unusual, particularly while I'm sitting in this chair, but I think that there's an important message I would like to uh get across, so I thank my board and board in advance for your indulgence. On October 2nd, the board received correspondence from a group that calls themselves the New California State, urging the county to cease and desist from compliance with Assembly Bill 969 and suggesting that the county should hold one day hand-counted elections requiring ID to vote and mail in ballots limited to legitimate absentee voters. AB 969 codified in California Elections Code section 15270.1 through 15270.3 and 19207.5 was approved by the governor of California on October 4th, 2023. Among other things, it prohibits election officials from performing a manual vote count in any contest held on an established election day where there are more than 1,000 registered voters eligible to participate in that election as of 154 days in advance of the election. No court has deemed AB 969 unconstitutional. Therefore, it is the controlling, it is controlling, and the county must comply with its mandates. Additionally, pursuant to election code section 18002, the county reg county's registrar of voters and the voter registration and elections department must comply with all state laws. Failure to do so may result in imposition of fines and or imprisonment. In most cases, a California voter is not required to show identification to a polling place worker before casting a ballot as the provision of identifying information is required at the time of voter registration per election code 2150 to CCR 2107 and 52 USCS Section 2504. The voter registrar registration and elections department complies with all identification procedures required by the law and will continue to do so during the fourth to upcoming elections and thereafter. The California Voters Choice Act allows counties to conduct elections under a model which provides greater flexibility and convenience for voters. This election model allows voters to choose how, when, and where they cast ballots by mailing every voter a ballot per California elections codes for zero zero five.
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