Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Meeting In-Person and via ZOOM
Minutes
Present: Deborah Barmack, Carole Beswick, Bill Blankenship, Greg Bradbard, Mike Burrows, Rachelle Bussell, Chris Carrillo, Luis Cetina, Mark Cloud, Ken Coate, Josh Cox, Kevin Dyerly, Dr. Sam Gibbs, Louis Goodwin, Otis Greer, Lowell King, Steve Lambert, Bill Lemann, Michael Lewin, Darcy McNaboe, Miguel Mendoza, John Mirau, Dan Murphy, Robert Nava, Vikki Ostermann, Bansree Parikh, Cat Pritchett, Thomas Rice, Michael Rivera, Dan Roberts, LaShe Rodriguez, Dan Schenkel, Kristine Scott, Patty Senecal, Eric Ustation, Pete Van Helden, Michael Wells, Ray Wolfe, and Frank Zabaleta.
Guests: Carrie Schindler, Shandra Secor, and Todd Warden.
Announcements: 1) The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) will hold its 4th community workshop on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at Rialto High School to discuss a potential memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BNSF and UP railroads. The MOU will cover all new and existing rail yards within the SCAQMD’s jurisdiction. 2) A family friendly hike at Mt. Baldy will take place on Saturday, November 11, 2023, in remembrance and to honor John Magness. For more information, please go to “Team Magness” @climbforheroes.org 3) The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside will hold their annual Fall Open House on Monday, November 13, 2023, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Dennis Hansberger Clubhouse, 1251 Clay St., Redlands. 4) SCAG will hold their 14th Economic Summit “Accelerating the Region” on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles from 8:00-2:00 p.m. For more information go to www.scag.ca.gov and go to the events tab. 5) Judge Kenly Kiya Kato is up for a vote today in the Senate and may be confirmed by the end of the week.
Kevin Dyerly, Chair presiding.
Motion by L. King/Second/Passed: Minutes from October 31, 2023.
Bansree Parikh introduced Luther Snoke, Chief Executive Officer, San Bernardino County who joined us in person. He is an experienced County executive having worked in leadership positions in the County Administrative Office since 2013.
As CEO, he oversees 41 departments and 22,000 employees with a $9.5B budget. The County is geographically the largest in the country and serves/support some 2.3 million people in 24 cities and towns. They provide municipal services for the unincorporated areas that have a population of over 300,000. They are the local provider of state services such as public assistance, child welfare, and child support services.
The 5-member Board of Supervisors are thoughtful and engaged, each strong advocates for their communities and are innovative, passionate leaders. This year San Bernardino County received 160 awards from the National Association of Counties in competition with more than 3,000 U.S. counties.
The County is fiscally strong maintaining conservative revenue and expense estimations, especially in the high-stakes and high-dollar area of pension liability ensuring agreements with employee organizations are fiscally sustainable in the present and in the long run. Quarterly budgeting keeps things orderly and current. Additionally, they keep healthy reserves and have contingency funds.
Investments in the County continue, such as the recent Fire Station 226 replacement project in San Bernardino. An additional 7 new fire stations are planned in the next 5 years which will greatly improve public safety. The c=County continues to invest in training, equipment, and capital improvements.
Goals and objectives include:
- Promote the Countywide Vision
- Create, maintain and grow jobs and economic value in the County
- Improve County government operations
- Operate in a fiscally responsible and business-like manner
- Ensure development of a well-planned, balanced, and sustainable county
- Provide for the Safety, Health, and Social Service Needs of County Residents
- Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders
- Focus on recovery and resiliency following major emergency responses such as the December 2, 2015, terrorist attack (SB Strong) and the global COVID-19 pandemic
Luther Snoke closed by sharing that the county envisions a complete county that capitalizes on the diversity of its people, its geography, and its economy to create a broad range of choices for our residents to live, work, and play. Additionally, they want to be a model community which is governed in an open and ethical manner, where great ideas are replicated and brought to scale, and all sectors work collaboratively to reach shared goals.
Q & A period followed
Meeting adjourned 8:30 a.m.