The Kern County Board of Supervisors met today as scheduled for Tuesday’s October 10, 2023, Board Meeting. Supervisor Phillip Peters (District 1), Supervisor Zack Scrivner (District 2), Chairman Jeff Flores (District 3), Supervisor David Couch (District 4), and Supervisor Leticia Perez (District 5) were in attendance. For information on how to address the Board on a specific agenda item or provide general public comment, please click here.
Meeting Highlights:
- Item No. 1 AM session:
- The Board proclaimed September 15 – October 15, 2023, as Hispanic Heritage Month in Kern County.
- Item No. 2 AM session:
- The Board proclaimed October 2023 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Kern County.
- Item No. 3 AM session:
- The Board proclaimed November and December 2023 as Kern County Cares Canned Food Drive Months in Kern County.
- Item No. 4 AM session:
- The Board proclaimed October 2023 as Retirement Security Month in Kern County.
- Item No. 11 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with Kimberly King, DVM, to provide Chief of Veterinary Services to the animals of Kern County through October of 2026.
- This agreement fills a vital need within the Animal Services department, because having a full-time veterinarian on staff will provide a better and more cost-efficient broad range of animal health care services.
- Learn more here.
- Item No. 15 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with Onmi Family Health to provide medication assisted treatment at community health clinics through June of 2026.
- Item No. 19 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with the California Department State Hospitals to provide Forensic Conditional Release Program services for local judicially committed individuals through June of 2025.
- Item No. 20 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, LLC to provide inpatient psychiatric hospital services for mental health clients in Kern County through June of 2024.
- Item No. 27 AM session:
- The Board approved a resolution to authorize the District Attorney to execute the Grant Award Agreement with California Department of Insurance for the 2023-2024 Automobile Insurance Fraud Program through June of 2024.
- This funding will be used to enhance the investigation and prosecution of automobile insurance fraud in Kern County.
- Item No. 28 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with the Fresno Workforce Development Board for the High Roads Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Training Grant through December of 2025, which will connect disadvantaged residents to long-term, valuable careers in the construction industry.
- Item No. 33 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with Mercy House Brundage Lane Navigation Center to provide eligibility information, assistance and resources for all programs administered by Human Services to residents of the Brundage Lane Navigation Center through December of 2024.
- Item No. 36 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with the Kern County Hospital Authority for work experience and employment preparation program worksites for participants in the CalWORKs program through September of 2025.
- Item No. 44 AM session:
- The Board approved an agreement with North of the River Recreation and Park District for use of facilities for mobile health clinic services for various dates through June of 2024.
- Items No. 46 – 48 AM session:
- The Board voted to accept Tuberculosis Grant Awards and the Tuberculosis Elimination and Laboratory Cooperative Agreement Award from the California Department of Public Health for Tuberculosis prevention and control activities in Kern County.
- Item No. 56 Closed Session:
- The Board unanimously (5-0) voted to appoint Alison Burrowes as Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services’ interim director, effective October 14, 2023.
- The Board is also conducting an open recruitment to fill this role permanently.
- Learn more here.
- Item No. 6 PM session:
- The Board heard a presentation by Kern County Public Works regarding the proposed Shafter-Wasco Compost Facility.
- Watch the entire presentation here.
- Items No. 8 – 14 PM session:
- The Board held a series of protest hearings for cost incurred for various nuisance abatement work throughout unincorporated Kern County.
- This effort supports the enhancement of quality-of-life for Kern County residents.
- Item No. 26 PM session:
- The Board approved agreements with Workday, Inc. for Software as a Service (SaaS) and with Guidehouse Inc., for the implementation services of a new Enterprise Resource Planning system.
- This represents a significant step towards fulfilling Kern County’s strategic plan of being a model of excellence in how we manage our business and workforce.
- This project is more than just a technology upgrade – it’s a commitment to better serve our community, to use taxpayer dollars more efficiently, and to empower our workforce to reach new heights of productivity.
- Item No. 34 PM session:
- The Board approved the acceptance of grants from the California Department of Health Care Services for the provision of Medi-Cal reentry services at juvenile and adult detention facilities through March of 2026.
- Item No. 35 PM session:
- The Board voted to appropriate unanticipated revenue from the State of California 2011 Public Safety Realignment fund for sober living environment services for Kern County residents.
- Item No. 37 PM session:
- The Board voted to contribute $1,000 to Strength of Shadow Dog Rescue Inc., and $1,000 to the Tigerfight Foundation.
- Item No. 38 PM session:
- The Board voted to contribute $1,200 to Southern Kern Unified School District to support the Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall.
- Item No. 39 PM session:
- The Board voted to contribute $500 to the California Living Museum (CALM), $500 to the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce, and $250 to the Community Action Partnership of Kern Foundation (CAPK).
- Item No. 40 PM session:
- The Board voted to approve an agreement with the Arts Council of Kern and voted to contribute $10,000 towards vocational training.
- Item No. 44 PM session:
- The Board approved a new flexible classification series titled Sheriff’s Background Investigator I/II, to further support recruitment and retention efforts within the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
The next Regular Board Meetings are scheduled for October 24, 2023, at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.