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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting on Economic Development - November 2, 2026

Board of Supervisors — Monday, November 2, 2026

BodySacramento County, California

SessionBoard of Supervisors

DateMonday, November 2, 2026

StatusNEW · FILED

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Speaker 1

0:00

Good morning, everyone.

0:01

And thank you for being here today.

0:03

We will now call to order the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors special meeting for Tuesday, October 27th.

0:09

Will the clerk please call the role?

Speaker 2

0:12

Certainly.

0:13

We do expect Supervisors Hume, Supervisor Cerna, and Supervisor Kennedy to be absent today.

0:21

Supervisor or Chair Rodriguez.

Speaker 1

0:24

Here.

Speaker 2

0:24

And Supervisor Desmond.

0:27

We do not have a quorum, but pursuant to our rules of procedure, we can proceed as a committee of the main body with a report back to the full board.

Speaker 1

0:35

Thank you.

0:36

Well, it's definitely a privilege to be here today and to talk about a topic that is very important.

0:42

I first want to welcome thank Todd Sturmer and his team for the work that they have done to organize today's meeting.

0:49

There's a lot of work that goes on behind the scene.

0:52

And so, Todd, I'm glad to be your first retreat as a uh

Speaker 3

0:58

clerk of

Speaker 4

0:58

the

Speaker 3

0:59

board.

Speaker 1

0:59

Um, I also want to thank Crystal Becky for putting the information together and organizing.

1:05

It has um economic development is a very uh uh dear topic to me because it really does encompass so many things that we do.

1:13

And so, Crystal, for organizing this.

1:15

I just want to let you know how much I appreciate that.

1:17

And for all of those in attendance, um, you know, it's when it's easy to govern when we have flexibility of revenue, but it's always a challenge, and you have to be very strategic during the most difficult times.

1:28

And I think as we are encountering a structural deficit, economic development is a topic that we should be leaning into.

1:36

Because in reality, everything we do, every decision that the board makes, uh, or uh whether it's an action or an action, has a direct impact on economic development.

1:45

And we definitely want to be very uh aware and um of the decisions we make so that we can continue to progress as a county so that we can attract businesses.

1:56

If we attract businesses to the area, then we'll do a really good job of keeping the young people that are um really what helps us as a county thrive.

2:06

And so I'm also very grateful to have our partners here from um different entities that will be presenting later today.

2:13

And then lastly, I just want to give a big shout out to Jennifer Bowdy, who is um the she uh oversees this teen center.

2:21

And I want to share a little bit about this teen center because it's um really neat where we are today and where this facility was a couple years ago.

2:30

Uh this facility is particularly meaningful to me because my office has been involved from the very beginning.

2:36

We helped lead the effort to establish this center and provided some of the initial funding to help make it possible.

2:42

But none of this would have happened without dedicated community partners, particularly Jennifer Bodie, who found this location, has has been instrumental in bringing this project to life.

2:53

What was once an elementary school cafeteria has been transformed into a place where young people can find mentorship, educational opportunities, leadership development, and a sense of belonging.

3:05

Prior to the Teen Center, this building sat vacant since June 4th, 2010.

3:10

Today, the organization has served over 400 children and provided support that extends well beyond the young people who come through the doors.

3:20

Through a partnership with Convoy of Hope, the organization helps distribute food, clothing, and other necessities to families across the 52 schools with the Twin Rivers Unified School District.

3:32

The center held its first event around Thanksgiving last year, and in less than a year, it has already made a meaningful difference in the community.

3:40

Last Thanksgiving, more than 150 meals were distributed, including 20-pound turkeys and ingredients for complete holiday dinners.

3:49

At Christmas, the organization continued that outreach, providing holiday assistance to family to 78 families.

3:57

And what I especially appreciate is that it isn't just a place where adults develop programs for young people.

4:03

Through the Teen Center, young people themselves have a voice in the activities, events, and decisions that shape their community.

4:11

I want to thank my colleagues on the board to see this facility firsthand because it demonstrates what can happen when local government and dedicated community leaders work together.

4:22

I want to especially thank Jennifer Bodie and everyone involved in the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center and Youth Program for their commitment to this community.

4:31

Thank you for hosting us today and everything you're doing for the young people and the families of the Rio Linda and Alberta area.

4:37

And now I will hand it over to David Willianueva, our CEO.

Unassigned speaker

4:41

Thank

Speaker 5

4:41

you, Supervisor Roger.

4:43

I didn't have a whole host of uh opening comments.

4:46

I just um I think you did a fantastic job by thanking the teams.

4:50

Um I also wanted to thank uh Todd and and uh our speakers that are coming up here, but also the folks in the background.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

I think this is the first time we've had a um a retreat in which we are streaming it.

Speaker 5

5:02

So we have much more viewers than we normally have just here in the visit in here, and that's thanks to Metro Cable and DTEC crew in the back here.

5:10

So, but thank you for all the speakers that are coming up.

5:12

A special thank you to Crystal for pulling this all together.

5:15

I know she's been working very hard to make this as perfect as it can be, and I know it'll be perfect.

5:19

So she always does such a fantastic job.

5:21

So, but thank

Unassigned speaker

5:22

you.

Speaker 1

5:23

All right.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████████████69%

Community Engagement████6%

Workforce Development███5%

Public Comment███5%

Transportation Safety██3%

Procedural██3%

Public Engagement█2%

Public Health█2%

Agricultural Preservation█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting on Economic Development - November 2, 2026

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors held a special meeting on November 2, 2026 (the transcript references October 27th) at the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center, focusing on economic development. The day-long retreat included presentations on the county's economic development strategic plan, regional economy, tourism, downtown revitalization, workforce development, and a proposed performance-based job creation incentive program. Public comments were heard from community members.

Public Comments & Testimony

Tanisha (online speaker, number 2951): A disabled military veteran and former law enforcement officer living in Natomas reported being targeted by neighbors through false restraining orders, perjury, and false police reports, expressing exhaustion and seeking assistance from the county.
Kenya Bell (in-person): Working on creating a PBID in the North Watt area, she welcomed economic development efforts and requested that SETA expand services, including English language programs, to the North Watt corridor. She noted that 31% of North Watt businesses have been open over 20 years and are struggling.
Mina Perez (in-person): Vice Chair of the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, identified as the first Latina in that position in a century, highlighted the need for investment in North Sacramento, mentioning a taco festival that drew 8,000 people pre-COVID and urged support for community potential.
Dean Brussard (in-person): Praised the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center as a model and requested a similar teen center for North Highlands, asking Supervisors Rodriguez and Desmond for support.

Discussion Items

Economic Development Strategic Plan Update (Crystal Bethke, Director of Economic Development): Reported on the first year of implementation: 8 projects landed ($103M capital investment, 484 jobs), 813 on-site business visits, 553 businesses assisted, 12 trainings, representation on 25 boards, 117 events. Upcoming initiatives include a commercial corridor study (RFP to hire consultant, program start 2028), a new marketing strategy, and an arts plan update. The county received a $75,000 grant from the California Arts Council.
Regional Economy (Evan Schmidt, CEO Valley Vision): Presented a regional perspective, citing a decade of improvement in inclusion, prosperity, and geographic inclusion. Key barriers identified: 1 in 6 caregivers left workforce due to childcare costs, 70% of residents prioritize housing affordability as extremely important, 82% support additional local street funding, 78% of workers lack AI training. Highlighted sector strategies from the We Prosper Together program (California Jobs First): biosciences, healthcare, precision manufacturing, and working lands. Noted a $7.3 million state grant for the Capital Biomanufacturing Alliance.
Business Investment and Site Selection (Joel Woodmass, VP JLL): Discussed national trends in advanced manufacturing site selection. Emphasized that speed and certainty often outweigh cost; a 5% cost increase to stay in California is considered acceptable. Key factors: people (workforce), place (available sites, zoning), and power (energy). Sacramento County’s advantages include existing industrial parks, SMUD, and proximity to the Bay Area.
Tourism and Visitor Economy (Mike Testa, President/CEO Visit Sacramento): Reported tourism generates over $4 billion annually and 15 million visitors to Sacramento County. Key events: Aftershock music festival (180,000 attendees in 2026, over $40 million economic impact), Iron Man, Terra Madre Americas (165,000 visitors in first year), and NCAA March Madness. Compression of hotel demand is a current challenge. County TOT collections peak in October due to major events. The county contributes $170,000 annually to Visit Sacramento.
Downtown Revitalization (Michael Alt, Executive Director & Scott Ford, Deputy Director, Downtown Sacramento Partnership): Stressed the importance of a healthy downtown for the regional economy. Noted that over 60% of downtown office space is tax-exempt. Golden 1 Center catalyzed $7.5 billion in investment within one mile and 4,900 new housing units since 2016. Proposed a new financing catalyst district to develop 25 underutilized sites, including a riverfront park and a university village.
Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center (Jennifer Bodie): Described the center as a safe haven for youth, offering boxing, mentorship, career pathways, and a food distribution program. The center has served over 400 children, distributed 8,200 pounds of food to over 300 families through partnerships with Convoy of Hope across 52 schools in Twin Rivers Unified School District. Also provides free haircuts, laundry services, and grief counseling.
Workforce Development (Renee John, Deputy Director SETA): SETA served 32,000 job seekers in the past year, 92% with barriers to employment. Median earnings for placed individuals: $34,000/year. Called for a focus on quality jobs, not just quantity. Endorsed work-based learning and stronger alignment between workforce training and industry demand.
Proposed Performance-Based Job Creation Incentive Program (Crystal Bethke): Presented a preliminary framework for a county incentive to attract large employers. Minimum thresholds: $25 million investment, 25 jobs, starting wage of $100,000 (18% above county average wage). Incentives would be tiered ($5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 per job based on wage level). Payments would be made only after performance is verified, with a 5-year commitment. Funding options include using incremental property tax revenue from the project or a limited pilot fund. Board feedback was sought.

Key Outcomes

Chair Rodriguez and Supervisor Desmond expressed strong support for the proposed job creation incentive program, emphasizing its potential to make unincorporated areas more competitive, but raised concerns about funding given the county's structural deficit.
Staff will brief additional supervisors and potentially return with a formal framework for board consideration at a public meeting.
The board acknowledged the success of the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center and directed that similar models be explored for other unincorporated communities.
Supervisor Desmond noted a large transportation funding application for the North Watt corridor preservation project was not selected by SACOG in the first round but may be reconsidered; he urged community advocacy.
The meeting adjourned at 2:09 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. And thank you for being here today. We will now call to order the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors special meeting for Tuesday, October 27th. Will the clerk please call the role? Certainly. We do expect Supervisors Hume, Supervisor Cerna, and Supervisor Kennedy to be absent today. Supervisor or Chair Rodriguez. Here. And Supervisor Desmond. We do not have a quorum, but pursuant to our rules of procedure, we can proceed as a committee of the main body with a report back to the full board. Thank you. Well, it's definitely a privilege to be here today and to talk about a topic that is very important. I first want to welcome thank Todd Sturmer and his team for the work that they have done to organize today's meeting. There's a lot of work that goes on behind the scene. And so, Todd, I'm glad to be your first retreat as a uh clerk of the board. Um, I also want to thank Crystal Becky for putting the information together and organizing. It has um economic development is a very uh uh dear topic to me because it really does encompass so many things that we do. And so, Crystal, for organizing this. I just want to let you know how much I appreciate that. And for all of those in attendance, um, you know, it's when it's easy to govern when we have flexibility of revenue, but it's always a challenge, and you have to be very strategic during the most difficult times. And I think as we are encountering a structural deficit, economic development is a topic that we should be leaning into. Because in reality, everything we do, every decision that the board makes, uh, or uh whether it's an action or an action, has a direct impact on economic development. And we definitely want to be very uh aware and um of the decisions we make so that we can continue to progress as a county so that we can attract businesses. If we attract businesses to the area, then we'll do a really good job of keeping the young people that are um really what helps us as a county thrive. And so I'm also very grateful to have our partners here from um different entities that will be presenting later today. And then lastly, I just want to give a big shout out to Jennifer Bowdy, who is um the she uh oversees this teen center. And I want to share a little bit about this teen center because it's um really neat where we are today and where this facility was a couple years ago. Uh this facility is particularly meaningful to me because my office has been involved from the very beginning. We helped lead the effort to establish this center and provided some of the initial funding to help make it possible. But none of this would have happened without dedicated community partners, particularly Jennifer Bodie, who found this location, has has been instrumental in bringing this project to life. What was once an elementary school cafeteria has been transformed into a place where young people can find mentorship, educational opportunities, leadership development, and a sense of belonging. Prior to the Teen Center, this building sat vacant since June 4th, 2010. Today, the organization has served over 400 children and provided support that extends well beyond the young people who come through the doors. Through a partnership with Convoy of Hope, the organization helps distribute food, clothing, and other necessities to families across the 52 schools with the Twin Rivers Unified School District. The center held its first event around Thanksgiving last year, and in less than a year, it has already made a meaningful difference in the community. Last Thanksgiving, more than 150 meals were distributed, including 20-pound turkeys and ingredients for complete holiday dinners. At Christmas, the organization continued that outreach, providing holiday assistance to family to 78 families. And what I especially appreciate is that it isn't just a place where adults develop programs for young people. Through the Teen Center, young people themselves have a voice in the activities, events, and decisions that shape their community. I want to thank my colleagues on the board to see this facility firsthand because it demonstrates what can happen when local government and dedicated community leaders work together. I want to especially thank Jennifer Bodie and everyone involved in the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center and Youth Program for their commitment to this community. Thank you for hosting us today and everything you're doing for the young people and the families of the Rio Linda and Alberta area. And now I will hand it over to David Willianueva, our CEO. Thank you, Supervisor Roger. I didn't have a whole host of uh opening comments. I just um I think you did a fantastic job by thanking the teams.

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Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting on Economic Development - November 2, 2026

Public Comments & Testimony

Tanisha (online speaker, number 2951): A disabled military veteran and former law enforcement officer living in Natomas reported being targeted by neighbors through false restraining orders, perjury, and false police reports, expressing exhaustion and seeking assistance from the county.

Kenya Bell (in-person): Working on creating a PBID in the North Watt area, she welcomed economic development efforts and requested that SETA expand services, including English language programs, to the North Watt corridor. She noted that 31% of North Watt businesses have been open over 20 years and are struggling.

Mina Perez (in-person): Vice Chair of the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, identified as the first Latina in that position in a century, highlighted the need for investment in North Sacramento, mentioning a taco festival that drew 8,000 people pre-COVID and urged support for community potential.

Dean Brussard (in-person): Praised the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center as a model and requested a similar teen center for North Highlands, asking Supervisors Rodriguez and Desmond for support.

Discussion Items

Economic Development Strategic Plan Update (Crystal Bethke, Director of Economic Development): Reported on the first year of implementation: 8 projects landed ($103M capital investment, 484 jobs), 813 on-site business visits, 553 businesses assisted, 12 trainings, representation on 25 boards, 117 events. Upcoming initiatives include a commercial corridor study (RFP to hire consultant, program start 2028), a new marketing strategy, and an arts plan update. The county received a $75,000 grant from the California Arts Council.

Regional Economy (Evan Schmidt, CEO Valley Vision): Presented a regional perspective, citing a decade of improvement in inclusion, prosperity, and geographic inclusion. Key barriers identified: 1 in 6 caregivers left workforce due to childcare costs, 70% of residents prioritize housing affordability as extremely important, 82% support additional local street funding, 78% of workers lack AI training. Highlighted sector strategies from the We Prosper Together program (California Jobs First): biosciences, healthcare, precision manufacturing, and working lands. Noted a $7.3 million state grant for the Capital Biomanufacturing Alliance.

Business Investment and Site Selection (Joel Woodmass, VP JLL): Discussed national trends in advanced manufacturing site selection. Emphasized that speed and certainty often outweigh cost; a 5% cost increase to stay in California is considered acceptable. Key factors: people (workforce), place (available sites, zoning), and power (energy). Sacramento County’s advantages include existing industrial parks, SMUD, and proximity to the Bay Area.

Tourism and Visitor Economy (Mike Testa, President/CEO Visit Sacramento): Reported tourism generates over $4 billion annually and 15 million visitors to Sacramento County. Key events: Aftershock music festival (180,000 attendees in 2026, over $40 million economic impact), Iron Man, Terra Madre Americas (165,000 visitors in first year), and NCAA March Madness. Compression of hotel demand is a current challenge. County TOT collections peak in October due to major events. The county contributes $170,000 annually to Visit Sacramento.

Downtown Revitalization (Michael Alt, Executive Director & Scott Ford, Deputy Director, Downtown Sacramento Partnership): Stressed the importance of a healthy downtown for the regional economy. Noted that over 60% of downtown office space is tax-exempt. Golden 1 Center catalyzed $7.5 billion in investment within one mile and 4,900 new housing units since 2016. Proposed a new financing catalyst district to develop 25 underutilized sites, including a riverfront park and a university village.

Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center (Jennifer Bodie): Described the center as a safe haven for youth, offering boxing, mentorship, career pathways, and a food distribution program. The center has served over 400 children, distributed 8,200 pounds of food to over 300 families through partnerships with Convoy of Hope across 52 schools in Twin Rivers Unified School District. Also provides free haircuts, laundry services, and grief counseling.

Workforce Development (Renee John, Deputy Director SETA): SETA served 32,000 job seekers in the past year, 92% with barriers to employment. Median earnings for placed individuals: $34,000/year. Called for a focus on quality jobs, not just quantity. Endorsed work-based learning and stronger alignment between workforce training and industry demand.

Proposed Performance-Based Job Creation Incentive Program (Crystal Bethke): Presented a preliminary framework for a county incentive to attract large employers. Minimum thresholds: $25 million investment, 25 jobs, starting wage of $100,000 (18% above county average wage). Incentives would be tiered ($5,000, $7,500, or $10,000 per job based on wage level). Payments would be made only after performance is verified, with a 5-year commitment. Funding options include using incremental property tax revenue from the project or a limited pilot fund. Board feedback was sought.

Key Outcomes

Chair Rodriguez and Supervisor Desmond expressed strong support for the proposed job creation incentive program, emphasizing its potential to make unincorporated areas more competitive, but raised concerns about funding given the county's structural deficit.

Staff will brief additional supervisors and potentially return with a formal framework for board consideration at a public meeting.

The board acknowledged the success of the Rio Linda Alberta Teen Center and directed that similar models be explored for other unincorporated communities.

Supervisor Desmond noted a large transportation funding application for the North Watt corridor preservation project was not selected by SACOG in the first round but may be reconsidered; he urged community advocacy.

The meeting adjourned at 2:09 p.m.

Meeting Transcript