* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:20] ALRIGHT. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY. AFTER NEW YEAR 2026. LET'S DO IT. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON AND ENJOY. AND YOU'RE ENJOYING THE BEGINNING OF, UH, NEW YEAR. I HOPE YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN HIT BY THIS BUG THAT'S GOING AROUND. I DID OVER THE BREAK. I WAS DOWN FOR TWO WEEKS, MY WHOLE FAMILY. SO WASH YOUR HANDS AND KEEP A DISTANCE BECAUSE IT IS A NASTY ONE. UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE FROM, UH, ALLISON'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. OKAY, WELL, I'M SURE SHE'LL GET HERE. YEAH. UM, LET'S CALL THE ORDER. WE'LL CALL THE ORDER AT SEVEN FIFTY ONE. WE CAN START WITH ROLL CALL. UM, BET . HERE. LAUREN WALTON. HERE. PAULA CLARK. SHE'S NOT SABRINA. SANDERS. MYLA. HERE. ERICA BARGO HERE. SO JOHNNY THAT? MM-HMM . ROSE . HERE. ANGELA . BARBARA SCHWAR. HERE. WILLIAM RE. RALPH. HERE. GABRIELA. OR HERE? WE ALL SET? YEAH. FANTASTIC. I, UM, IF YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE MINUTES. WHEN YOU'RE READY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST BOARD MEETING. I A MOTION I MOVE BY BARBARA VOTE BEFORE. OH, NUMBER ONE. OKAY. THE PRIOR FIRST CLAIM? YEAH. OKAY. JUST KIDDING. UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE MINUTES, WE HAVE AN ELECTION. WE HAVE AN ELECTION, AND I HAVE A SCRIPT FOR THE ELECTION. AND I HAVE TO READ THE SCRIPT. UM, NOMINATIONS FOR THESE POSITIONS WILL BE DONE FROM THE FLOOR. I CALLED THE MEETING ORDER. I OPEN THE FLOOR. I NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS. ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR? I NOW MADE MR. MILES. RIGHT? I HAVE TO READ THE SCRIPT. MILES HEALY, WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOUR NOMINATION? MY MCNEELY NOMINATION FOR CHAIR. DO YOU CONSENT TO THE NOMINATION? YES. WONDERFUL. MILES MCNEELY HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE POSITION OF, I SWEAR, I I HAVE TO READ THIS. DOING IT. I WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. DOESN'T I HAVE TO READ THIS. MILES MCNEELY HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? SEEING NONE. DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER NOMINATION? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT. OKAY. SEEING NONE, I NOW DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS CLOSED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MILES. MCNEELY, YOU ARE NOW THE CHAIR. [00:05:01] THANK YOU. YOU NOW. MILES MCNEELY AS RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE? MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE, I'LL SECOND THAT. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. WONDERFUL. AND OPPOSED? FANTASTIC. MILES. MC IS THE NEW CHAIR AND THAT MEANS I DID NOT, I DID NOT KNOW THAT EITHER. BUT NOW TI YOU WILL GET THE SCRIPT. YOU READ THE SCRIPT TO DO NOMINATIONS FOR THE VICE CHAIR AND THEN YOU TAKE THE GOOD MORNING. I THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND IF SO, NOW YOU USE THE SCRIPT OKAY. TO CALL THE NOMINATION FOR JUDGE CHAIR. AND THEN YOU RUN THE MEETING. MILES MCNEELY. OKAY. ALRIGHT, MCNEE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. I HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT THE SPIRIT AND THE RIGHT WORK OF OUR, OF OUR FORMER CHAIRS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU ALL HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST YEAR. UM, SO OH, DID BLUE LIVE BLUE? ALRIGHT. IS THIS THE SAME? IS THERE A SEPARATE? NOPE, IT'S THE SAME. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GO RIGHT TO NO, DID YOU HAVE ANY JUST TO FINISH THIS? NO, BUT OUT, WELL, WELL PLAYED. IT WORKED OUT WELL, BUT WE WERE ALL OKAY. . SO WE DID THAT PART. ALRIGHT. UM, YES, YOU WANT TO CALL FOR NOMINATION CALL NOMINATIONS. ALRIGHT, SO I'D LIKE TO TO CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR. WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATION? I MEAN, I WANTED TO NOMINATE PAULA CLARK. CAN, CAN SHE? SHE SHE HAVE TO, SHE CAN ACCEPT BY TAX . I THINK SHE HAS TO BE PRESIDENT. OH, REALLY? YEAH. CHAIR, VICE CHAIR CAN RUN TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS. SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT DR. WALTER VICE, I ACTUALLY CAN'T. SO MY HR POSITION, EVERY FRIDAY I HAVE A MEETING AND I'M ALWAYS LATE, ALEX, IN PERSON, SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO NOT YEAH. BUT I THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHT . ANYBODY, I MEAN, IT'S A NICE TIME TO KIND OF LEARN AND I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL NEWISH. FOUR, FOUR AND A HALF YEARS NEWISH. BUT ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO MAYBE LEARN, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. IF NO ONE IS A FOR AT I'LL VICE CHAIR FOR MILES, I CAN VICE SHIFT. YEAH. SO SOMEONE HAS TO NOMINATE. I'LL NOMINATE DR. LESS. OTHERWISE NEVER. OH, OKAY. SO, UM, COMMISSIONER LESS. WILL YOU STATE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND FOR THE RECORD AND, AND YOUR NOMINATION. BETH LESSEN, NOMINATED FOR VICE CHAIR. DO YOU CONSENT TO THE NOMINATION? RELUCTANTLY ? YES. YES. BEST LESSON HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY. SURE. ANYONE GOOD ELECTED GUYS? SO THE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? MOTION TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER LESSEN AS THE NEW VICE CHAIR. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES. UH, WONDERFUL. NOW YOU HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE VOTE. TURN IT OVER. OKAY. MAKE A MOTION. MAKE A MOTION. I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE VOTE. I MOVE ALL SECOND. I I ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. I. RIGHT. MOTION. CARRIE, NOW WE'RE [00:10:01] GOOD. MOTION. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE AGENDA. ALRIGHT. AND JUST FOLLOW ALONG. OKAY. SUPER SIMPLE. SO NOW WE CAN GET BACK TO THE MINUTES. THERE WE GO. OKAY. UM, CAN, UH, I, IS THERE SOMEONE THAT MOVES TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I THINK BARBARA MOVED. BARBARA. I CAN SECOND. ALRIGHT. UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 12TH. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, SO MOTION CARRIES. UH, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A MONTHLY. OH, DO WE HAVE TO ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? DO WE HAVE TO ASK THAT AFTER THIS POINT? THAT NO. NO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. RECOMMENDATIONS TO RE UH, TO OUR ASSUMPTION COURT? YEAH. OKAY. SO, UM, DIRECTOR, GOOD MORNING. ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR REPORT? GOOD MORNING, NEELY. UH, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU SERVICE AS CHAIR. THANK YOU. SORRY, . UM, IT DOES. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR STEPPING OUT. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. UM, LAST MONTH I REPORTED ON, UM, A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE HAVING ON FUNDING LOSS. AND, UM, ALL OF THAT KIND OF REMAINS CONSISTENT, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT, UM, OUR BIGGEST, ONE OF OUR LARGEST GRANTS, UH, IS OUR CONTINU CARE GRANT, UM, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, DIDN'T RECEIVE, DID RECEIVE, UM, A BLOCKAGE FROM THE COURTS, UH, TO ROLL OUT. UM, THAT PARTICULAR FUNDING NOTICE WOULD HAVE PUT US AT A VERY DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE IT'S FOCUSED ON INTERIM HOUSING AND SHELTER VERSUS PERMANENT HOUSING. AND IT DID AWAY WITH THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL STATE OF WASHINGTON, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER STATES SUCH AS CALIFORNIA SIGNED ONTO THAT. AND THE COURTS DID INDEED BLOCK IT. WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE GONNA GO BACK TO THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT ALLOWED US TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS. AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED ON MONDAY. UM, IT DOES SEEM THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME EFFORT TO NOT COMPLY WITH THE COURTS, SO WE REMAIN IN LIMBO ON THAT 12 MILLION. WE ALSO LOST COUNTY COC MONEY, WHICH AGAIN IS OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE. UM, BECAUSE OF THE COUNTY'S DEFICIT, WE WERE TOLD WE WERE GOING TO GET ZERO OF OUR $8 MILLION. WE WERE GIVEN NEW NEWS THAT SUPERVISORS HAN AND BARRIGAN, UH, WERE ADVOCATING FOR AT LEAST A THIRD OF THOSE FUNDS, RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE ALL STILL PART OF THE COUNTY AND WILL STILL NEED TO RECEIVE SERVICES. SO WE THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD THE SUPPORT OF SUPERVISOR AND SOLI. WE WENT IN PERSON TO A MEETING ON YESTERDAY ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THEY WERE NEUTRAL. THE ONLY PERSON THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD TO WORK ON WAS SUPERVISOR MITCHELL. UM, BUT THERE IS MUCH ADVOCACY TO BE DONE. IT GOES TO VOTE ON TUESDAY AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE WILL BE THERE. HAD I HAD MORE TIME, UM, TO GET BOARD MEMBERS READY, I WOULD'VE ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE VERY LEAST, LETTERS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR TUESDAY. UM, BUT AS IT STANDS, I'M TRYING TO EVEN GET OUR OWN LETTER OUT THE DOOR THIS MORNING, UM, BECAUSE IT IS DUE, UM, TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. SO WE ARE HOPING TO AT LEAST RESTORE, UH, ABOUT 4 MILLION OF THE EIGHT ADDITIONAL MILLION BECAUSE THE OTHER CLCS, UM, ARE, ARE VERY SMALL AND THEY'RE PASADENA AND GLENDALE. SO WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT. UM, THE CONCERN STEEL LOOS AROUND, UH, BISHOP FOR ANOTHER SHUTDOWN. UM, THE CHALLENGE IS THAT, UM, THE CONGRESS HAS ALREADY PASSED THE SPENDING BILLS IN NOVEMBER. THEY NEED TO PASS NINE ADDITIONAL FISCAL YEAR 26 SPENDING BILLS BY THE 30TH. IF THEY DON'T, WE COULD END UP AT ANOTHER, UH, ANOTHER SHUTDOWN. [00:15:01] UH, YESTERDAY THE HOUSE DID INDEED APPROVE A CA SUBSIDIES WITH 15 REPUBLICANS JOINING THEM, WHICH IS QUITE, UM, QUITE EXCITING. UH, IT STILL DOES HAVE TO GET TO THE SAME AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, THE A CA SUBSIDIES WERE REMOVED AND IT HAS BECOME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR PERSONS THAT ARE NOT OTHERWISE COVERED TO EVEN BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT. AND THIS IS NOT JUST AFFECTING THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT WE SERVE. IT IS ALSO AFFECTING MIDDLE AMERICANS, AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. UH, AND I'M SURE SOME OF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT. YES, . UM, SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HEALTHCARE SUBSIDIES. UM, AS I SAY, THE BILL WILL GO ON TO THE SENATE, BUT BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW, IT IT'S UNLIKELY. UM, WE DID HAVE, UM, OUR TEAMS RESPOND ON YESTERDAY TO A STUDENT WHO WAS RAISED BY A BULLET ON THE WAY TO POLY HIGH SCHOOL. UM, WE CERTIFIED OVER 25, UM, UM, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION INTERVENTION WORKERS. AND, UM, THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE STUDENT. UM, THE STUDENT WAS WELL ENOUGH TO GET TO POLY YESTERDAY MORNING AND TWO TRUSTED TEACHERS AND ADULTS WHO GOT THE MEDICAL CARE. UM, SO WE, WE ARE LOOKING INTO THAT AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THE STUDENT AND THEIR FAMILY AS WELL AS WORK THROUGH OUR, UM, VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS SUCH AS SAFE PASSAGES TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE DO BELIEVE THEY MAY BE GANG RELATED. UH, YES, TODAY'S WE ARE EXPECTING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S RELEASE OF THE STATE BUDGET. WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIT, BUT THE BIG CHALLENGE IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WITHHOLDING MANY OF OUR PAYMENTS. UM, WE ALSO ARE IN THE POSITION OF NOT PAYING SOME OF OUR SUBCONTRACTORS BECAUSE PAYMENTS ARE BEING WITHHELD. ONE OF THE MOST CONCERNING ONES, IN ADDITION TO THOSE THAT ARE OWED TO, UM, CITIES AND STATES, UH, AND COUNTIES, IS THE CHILDCARE SUBSTANCE THAT ARE BEING WITHHELD THAT WILL SOON BEGIN TO IMPACT PROVIDERS. SO WE ARE FOLLOWING CLOSELY ON THAT. UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF SITUATIONS WITH, UM, FEDERAL AGENTS, UM, SHOOTING IN ONE CASE, MURDERING, UM, A PROTESTOR, WELL, AN IMMIGRANT THAT THEY INDICATE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY. UM, WE ARE FOLLOWING ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND, UM, OUR CITY IS MAKING STATEMENTS AND STANDING UP, UM, TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS NOT BEING GUNNED DOWN AND USING MORE FORCE, UH, WHEN THE RULES CLEARLY STATE THAT ONE CANNOT USE, FORCED TO DETAIN AN IMMIGRANT WHO IS TRYING TO ESCAPE. SO MEANWHILE, INTERNALLY, WE ARE GOING THROUGH A VERY INTENSIVE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT MANDATED SERVICES VERSUS SERVICES MANDATED BY OUR LOCAL COUNCIL. THERE ARE SERVICES OF MANDATED THE PUBLIC HEALTH LEVEL, UM, SUCH AS HAVING A HEALTH OFFICER, UM, SUCH AS OUR DISEASE INTERVENTION AND TUBERCULOSIS AND TRACKING OF ALL OF THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. UM, WE ARE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS OF LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE SERVICES TO ASCERTAIN WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN BASED ON THE FUNDING LOSS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED. WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A 3% REDUCTION TARGET FROM THE CITY MANAGER TO OUR GENERAL FUND ACROSS THE BOARD. AND WE ARE PREPARING FOR OUR BUDGET SUBMISSIONS, UM, THAT AFTER THIS IS ALL OVER WILL PROBABLY RESULT IN DEDUCTIONS THAT ARE NOT DICTATED, UM, BY ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING LOSS FOR WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN LOST THAT WE CANNOT MAINTAIN AND SERVICES THAT WE CAN NO LONGER CONTINUE TO PROVIDE. UM, BECAUSE, UM, WE JUST DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GET THAT MONEY. UM, PHILANTHROPY IS PACKED UP. UM, OUR STATE IS PROBABLY GOING TO ANNOUNCE SOME ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS. UM, AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT ANY OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS AT THIS TIME COMING BACK. WE HAVE RELEASED A NUMBER [00:20:01] OF STATEMENTS, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE TALK ABOUT A NEWS REPORT RELATIVE TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS AROUND THE VACCINE SCHEDULE, UM, AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR ALL OF THOSE. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IT'S ALSO, I'M SORRY. IT'S ALSO, IT DOES, UM, WE LIVE IN A, A, A BLUE PLACE RIGHT NOW. UM, BUT I THINK I CAN SAY THAT FOR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE MICROCOSM WHAT IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THAT COUNTRY AT THIS POINT. UM, IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO HELP WITH ADVOCATING WITH THE BOARD SUPERVISORS OR IS THAT THAT PATH, IF I HAD ENOUGH FOLKS TO CREATE MEMOS FOR YOU? I WOULD. THEY ARE , UH, ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE OTHER AREAS. UM, THIS ONE KIND OF TOOK US BY SURPRISE. WE WERE NOTIFIED EARLIER THIS WEEK, UM, AND AGAIN, DID NOT EXPECT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE OTHER TWO OUT OF THE FIVE COUNTIES BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE NEED THREE. UM, IT SEEMS THAT THE OTHER TWO THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE SUPPORTING, UM, LY AND , UM, THEIR DEPUTIES MET YESTERDAY, WHICH IS WHERE OUR TEAM PRESENTED. AND THEY APPEAR TO BE NEUTRAL, NOT TOTALLY AGAINST. SO WE ARE DOING LOTS OF ADVOCACY CALLS THIS MORNING. I'VE ALREADY BEEN ON A CALL THIS MORNING. UM, AND UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ON THAT. UM, THE MAYOR IS MAKING CALLS AS WELL, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND WHEN WE HAVE MORE OF, UM, A RUNWAY, I WILL ABSOLUTELY BE REQUESTING ADVOCACY FUND. AND THAT'S AROUND, UM, THAT CONVERSATION IS AROUND LIKE THE HOUSING THAT IS AROUND OUR HOMELESS SERVICES, HOMELESS SERVICES. THE FUNDS THAT WE ARE LOSING, UM, ARE WHAT IS SUPPORTING OUR SHELTERS. AND OUR IN INCLUDE WATER SHELTER, FOR INSTANCE, UM, WAS ACTIVATED OVER THE ENTIRE PERIOD BECAUSE OF THE RAIN. MM-HMM . UM, THOSE ARE SHELTERS THAT WE RECEIVE A PER BED RATE FROM THE LOS ANGELES HOUSING SERVICE AUTHORITY. UM, AND WHENEVER THEY ACTIVATE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO ACTIVATE AS WELL. WE OF OUR CONTRACT MM-HMM . UM, THEIR REASON FOR PULLING FUNDING WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE LOSING FUNDING AND THEY FELT THAT WE COULD RELY SOLELY ON FEDERAL FUNDS AND OTHER SOURCES. UM, BUT SO MANY OF THOSE SOURCES HAVE BEEN ERADICATED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO LEAVE ON. YEAH. UM, AND WE ACTUALLY ACTIVATED ON YESTERDAY 'CAUSE OF THE WIND AND THE TEMPERATURE LAST NIGHT. SO THESE ARE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ACTUALLY WORKED OVERTIME FOR US BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT'S INCLEMENT AND IT'S BASED ON MULTIPLE FACTORS, UM, NOT JUST RAIN, BUT TOGETHER IT WAS THE WIND AND THE POLE. IT'S NOT LIKE WE REALLY HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT WE CAN STAND UP, YOU KNOW, WITH JUST A MOMENT'S NOTICE. UM, THERE AREN'T ANY TEMPORARY AGENCIES THAT WE CAN DEPLOY NECESSARILY TO COME OUT AND WORK WITH OUR PERSON WHO EXPERIENCED LESSNESS. THERE HAS TO BE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. UM, THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BRING IN, THEY CAN'T BRING IN. YOU GOTTA HAVE DEESCALATION SKILLS. UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO RELY ON OUR STAFF FOR. AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST BEEN IN A PLACE OF GRATITUDE FOR THEM LEAVING THEIR FAMILIES ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT AT CHRISTMAS EVE AND NEW YEAR'S EVE. UM, BECAUSE EVEN WITH THE MONEY THAT THEY GET, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A DAY TO DAY THING. ALTHOUGH WE KNEW WE WOULD HAVE A STRETCH FOR CHRISTMAS. THESE KINDS OF, OF ACTIVATIONS, UM, COME WHEN THEY COME. OKAY. DO YOU KNOW IF THE MAYORS CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THIS AT HIS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS NEXT WEEK? HE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE DISCUSSING THE FUNDING LOSS. OKAY. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS HIT LIKE NO ONE ELSE. UM, SO YES. UM, HE WILL BE ADDRESSING THAT IN THE STATE OF THE CITY. AND I, I DO HOPE, AND I'M GONNA ANNOUNCE THAT AT THE END, THAT I HOPE AS MANY OF YOU AS [00:25:01] ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. AND THIS IS JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS SEPARATE. 'CAUSE I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS LIKE A FUND FOR HOMELESS CARE SERVICES. THIS IS A SEPARATE FUNDING. THIS IS A WHOLE SEPARATE KIND OF THING. YEAH. BUT THE MAYOR'S FUND IS A FUND THAT IS COMPLETELY DONATION BASED. BASED YEAH. UM, THAT SUPPORTS NEEDS SUCH AS, SO, OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE RUN OUT. YEAH. UM, WE DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE, UM, HOMELESS SERVICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE, THE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES THAT FUND MM-HMM . TO HELP WITH A COUPLE. THEY MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS SUCH AS COVERING A COUPLE OF SHELTER BEDS. YEAH. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE FUND GIVES TO US IS, IT'S NOT ENOUGH. THEY CAN ONLY RECOMMEND ABOUT TWO BEDS. YEAH. YEAH. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WITH THE MONEY THAT WE'RE EVEN TRYING TO GET RESTORED THROUGH THE COUNTY IS THAT THE NEW CAVEAT IS THAT THEY DON'T WANT US TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT WITH IT. YEAH. WHICH IS MAJORITY OF THE COST. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOUR OPERATE A SHELTER WITHOUT PEOPLE THERE. 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST LET FOLKS IN AND THEY HAVE AT IT. YEAH. THEY HIRE DOCS WITHOUT SUPPORT. JUST, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. I I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS PURELY PERSONAL OPINION, AND I SOMETIMES I TORTURE MYSELF WITH READING NEXT DOOR AND, UM, , YOU KNOW, IT, THE, THE LEVEL OF MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT COSTS TO OPERATE, UM, ANYTHING ON THE, FROM THE BASIC RESIDENT. RIGHT. AND IN SOME CASES, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, BUT JUST A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING, UM, BECAUSE OF THE BURDEN THAT IS PLACED ON PARTICULARLY MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES. UM, AND BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW, WE LEGISLATE A LOT OF THINGS. WE JUST ADDED FOLIC ACID TO TORTILLAS, PEOPLE . SO THESE THINGS COME WITH A COST, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND ADDED FOLIC ACID TO TORTILLAS. OH, THAT'S REAL. I WOULDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW, BUT I BELIEVE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? WE JUST ADDED FO IT'S NOW REQUIRED THAT FOLIC ACID BE, AND DR. OTA, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT BETTER, TO TORTILLAS BECAUSE, UM, PREGNANT WOMEN WERE GETTING INSUFFICIENT AMOUNTS AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THEY EAT MORE TORTILLAS THAN THEY DO BREAD. AND IT WAS ALREADY IN BREAD. SO NOW THEY MOVED IT TO TORTILLAS. BUT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING. THIS IS US PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE, BUT DOING SO AT A COST AND TAKING AWAY, WHICH HAS WHAT HAS BEEN IN SOME WAYS, YOU KNOW, AGGRAVATED THE, THE LIGHT. UM, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE LEGISLATE. I DON'T, SO HOW DOES GOVERNMENT IS HELPING US? IS HE, IS HE GIVING ENOUGH FUNDS TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE THINGS? DECIDE, UH, GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S BUDGET IS IN THE BILLIONS, SO I'M NOT, I'M SORRY. I'M BUDGET HIS I KNOW. THANK YOU. HE HAS SO MUCH PLUS, BUT NOW DEFICIT. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE REMISS ON OUR PART TO, IN ANY WAY BELIEVE THAT THE STATE IS COMING TO SAVE US. NOBODY'S COMING. YEAH. BUT THEY SHOULD GIVE ALL THAT MONEY, WHICH IS NECESSARY TO RUN THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT. YOU KNOW, HE SHOULD. BUT HIS MONEY RIGHT NOW IS BEING HELD TO, AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROVIDES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERN GOVERNMENT. UM, HOW DID HE END? IT APPEARS 18 BILLION. NEGATIVE. HOW DID HE END UP THEN? THERE'S SO MUCH BODY TO FUNDS. WELL, SOME OF IT WAS COVID, LET'S BE HONEST. YEP. YEAH. AND SOME OF IT WAS, AND, AND LOT OF IT NOW. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW WE'RE HEARING, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE YESTERDAY WHEN LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOWN 13,000 STUDENTS BECAUSE IMMIGRANT CHILDREN DON'T COME TO SCHOOL. THEY GET PAID BASED ON WHO SHOWS UP ON THEIR ATTENDANCE. RIGHT. UM, WE'RE SEEING RESTAURANTS CLOSE. THERE'S A LOT OF RESTAURANTS THAT ARE CLOSING BECAUSE THEY'RE STAYING ONE DAY IF THEY'RE PACKED AND THE NEXT DAY THERE'S NO ONE, ONE THERE, THERE IS OF PEOPLE TO COME OUT OF THE HOUSE. AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO STILL MOVE AROUND WITH SOME DEGREE OF PRECAUTION, BUT NOT FEELING HUNTED, HAVE SOME DEGREE OF CONSUMER TREPIDATION ABOUT SPENDING BECAUSE [00:30:01] OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. YEAH. ALL THIS ACTIVITY IS CREATED TO CHILL ON SPENDING. SO THE ECONOMY HAS TAKEN A HIT. IT'S NOT JUST A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE, IT'S AN ECONOMIC ISSUE. AND MANY OF OUR TAXES, AND MANY OF PARTICULARLY THE FUNDS THAT THE CITIES AND STATES GET ARE BASED ON SPENDING. MM-HMM . IT'S DOWN CONSIDERABLY. HE'S ALSO A SPENDER. HE IS. HE'S A SPENDER. HE'S A SPENDER. AND HE HAS BEEN, FROM THE BEGINNING, HE HAS BEEN MORE SOBERING NEWS THAN UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST MEETING THIS COMING YEAR. UM, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING ON THE BITE. UM, I, I THINK I SAW AN EMAIL WITH, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, STAFF ABOUT THE, UM, THE WORK MOVING TOWARD, UH, HAVING AN AVENUE TO FUND RATES. YES. SO, UH, SO MOVEMENT THAT, UM, PERHAPS THE NEXT MEETING, THERE'S, IF THERE'S AN UPDATE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO BE AWARE OF, SO WE CAN THINK ABOUT SUPPORTING THAT IN ANY WAY THAT COULD MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF ABSOLUTELY. OF A DIFFERENCE. UM, THAT IS SOME OF THE, UM, INFORMATION THAT AALIYAH HAS BROUGHT FORWARD BEFORE. UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE? I, I'LL SECOND. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. UM, NEXT, UM, WE HAVE THE DR. ADA ACTING CITY HEALTH OFFICER. ARE YOU READY FOR YEAH, GOOD MORNING. DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT LAST ONE? OH, SORRY. UM, CAN I, UH, CAN I, CAN I HAVE A VOTE? UM, ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. AYE. AYE. ALTHOUGH, ANYONE, ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION OF CARRIES. UM, OKAY, DR. RICOTTA, GOOD MORNING. HOW NEW YEAR? HAPPY NEW YEAR. UM, I GUESS, UH, JUST I'LL, I'LL KEEP THE SAME FORMAT AS LAST TIME WHEN I TALKED ABOUT, UM, UPDATES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND THEN ALSO UPDATES WITH COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, INFECTIOUS STUFF. UM, I'LL KEEP IT SHORT. SO, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, I HAVE TWO THINGS. UM, SINCE THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, UM, IN TERMS OF CREATIVE STUFF, UM, WE SENT OUT, UH, WE HAD A PRESS RELEASE THAT SENT OUT, UM, UH, DISCUSSING, UM, CRAD ON THE DANGERS OF IT, UM, THE LEGALITY OR THE LACK OF LEGALITY OF IT. UM, AND THEN ALSO CDPH OR THE, THE STATE SENT THE FACT SHEET TO LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, UM, TO HELP CLARIFY BASICALLY THREE THINGS. THE LEGALITY OF SELLING, FREEDOM FOR CONSUMPTION, UM, AND THEN WHAT LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES CAN DO. AND, UM, TO GIVE INFO AND BEST PRACTICES ON IMPOUNDMENT OF ADULT RATE PROGRESS. UM, AND THEN AT LEAST FOR LONG BEACH STUFF OUTSIDE OF THE PRESS RELEASE, UM, NOT MUCH MORE . ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, UM, TOPIC WAS, UH, SO SOMETHING CALLED DEATH CAP MUSHROOMS. I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE'S HEARD OF THIS, BUT, UM, CURRENTLY CALIFORNIA IS EXPERIENCING, UH, AN UNPRECEDENTED, THEY'RE CALLING IT AN UNPRECEDENTED OUTBREAK OF ILLNESSES ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, ACCIDENTALLY EATING THESE DEATH CAP MUSHROOMS. UM, SINCE NOVEMBER THERE'S BEEN 35 CASES, THREE DEATHS, AND AT LEAST THREE LIVER TRANSPLANTS. AND IT'S MAINLY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNTIES. UM, DO THEY, LIKE, GET THEM OUT OF THE WOODS? LIKE WHERE DO THEY GET, WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? YEAH, SO THIS IS COMING FROM PEOPLE THAT FORAGE FOR A WILDLIFE, PEOPLE WHO FORAGE. AND THEN IT'S TYPICALLY THESE COMMUNITIES THAT, UM, A FORAGE FOR, UH, WILD MUSHROOMS IN THEIR NATIVE COUNTRIES. OKAY. SO THESE ARE, UM, GREAT, THANK YOU. SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY KIDS ACCIDENTALLY EATING A DEATH CAT MUSHROOM. YEAH. UH, WELL, OKAY. SO INITIALLY I THOUGHT THIS WAS, UH, A REGIONAL THING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE'VE, UH, THE STATE IS SAYING NOW THERE'S BEEN CASES AS FAR SOUTH AS SAN LUIS OBISPO. UM, WITH THE RAINS, I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT MUSHROOMS HERE. UM, SO LONG STORY SHORT, WE PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING ALSO TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH CDPH THAT, UM, UH, THIS DEATH CAP MUSHROOM ISSUE. UM, AND, UM, AT LEAST LOCALLY WE'RE MONITORING FOR IT, UM, [00:35:01] THROUGH THE END OF THE WINTER MONTHS. SO FAR WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING HERE YET. UM, BUT JUST TO BE ON YOUR RADAR. YEAH. AND THEN IN TERMS OF, UM, COMMUNICABLE DISEASES OR INFECTIOUS, UH, DISEASE ISSUES, UM, SO THERE'S THE INFLUENZA A H THREE, M TWO SUB KK. SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS HITTING MEDIA OUTLETS. AND, UM, I, I WAS TALKING TO OUR TEAM ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY AND, UM, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, THIS IS ALL OF OUR FIRST TIMES HEARING ABOUT, UM, INFLUENZA GETTING SUBTYPE TO THE SUBPLATE LEVEL. SO JUST, UM, JUST BACKING UP WITH, IN TERMS OF THE INFLUENZA TERMINOLOGY. SO THERE'S TYPES A, B, C, AND D, UM, A AND B, UH, CAUSE THE HUMAN EPIDEMICS AND THEN THE SUBTYPES ARE BASED ON THE SURFACE PROTEINS. UM, SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S THE H THREE N TWO. UM, WE THINK THE SUB CLAY K UM, THIS IS KIND OF, UM, UM, COMING UP ON OUR RADAR BECAUSE THERE'S MORE WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING AVAILABLE IN THE POST COVID ERA. UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE SUB CLAY K HAS BEEN, UM, ATTRIBUTED TO THE EARLY INCREASES IN HIGHER INFLUENZA ACTIVITY, UM, IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, MAINLY CANADA, UK AND JAPAN, CAUSING SOME PROLONGED INFLUENZA SEASON, UM, IN SOME OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE COUNTRIES LIKE AUSTRALIAN ZEALAND. UM, AND THEN THE, I GUESS THE, THE REASON WHY THIS IS COMING UP IS IT APPEARS THERE'S SOME ANTIGENIC DRIFT FROM, UM, THE STRAIN THAT WAS USED IN THE, UM, THE INFLUENZA VACCINE. UM, SO THAT'S WHY THEY THINK MAYBE THERE'S, UH, AN INCREASE IN THIS, UM, SUBTYPE. K. UM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE EARLY ESTIMATES BY WHO, UM, THAT THE FLU VACCINE IS STILL EFFECTIVE. AND THEN, UM, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE IN THE UK, UH, IT LOOKED LIKE THE FLU VACCINE'S CURRENTLY, UM, SEVEN. SO BASICALLY 70% EFFECTIVE, UM, IN KIDS, AND THEN AROUND 30 TO 40% EFFECTIVE IN ADULTS. SO, UM, THE VACCINE'S STILL EFFECTIVE. AND THAT'S, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE MESSAGING WE'RE PUSHING OUT. UM, WE ALSO PUT OUT A HEALTH ALERT, UM, SORRY. SO CDPH PUT OUT A HEALTH ALERT. AND THEN, UM, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON OUR DRAFT TO PUT OUT. UM, SO THAT'S COMING OUT SOON. AND THEN THE LAST THING IN TERMS OF, UM, UPDATES ON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, UH, I GUESS KIND OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THE CDC STUFF. UM, SO MOST OF YOU GUYS KNOW, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UM, CDC PUT OUT A STATEMENT, UM, SAYING THAT THEY'RE GONNA REDUCE THE NUMBER OF, UM, RECOMMENDED CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS FROM 17 TO ONE ONE. UM, THEY'RE CITING PRACTICES IN OTHER WEALTHY NATIONS, UM, LIKE DENMARK, GERMANY, AND JAPAN. OF NOTE, THESE COUNTRIES HAVE DIFFERENT CULTURAL PRACTICES. THEY'RE MORE HOMOGENOUS, UM, DIFFERENT DISEASE PRESENCE RATES. UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE BASING THEIR DECISIONS ON. UM, AND, UM, THEY NOTE THE TERM SHARED DECISION MAKING AND A LOT OF THEIR, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THE INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT THIS IS, UM, SO I SAW THIS, UH, STUDY WITH ANNENBURG PUBLIC POLICY CENTER AT UAD. UM, THEY DID A SURVEY WITH AMERICANS, UM, IN AUGUST OF 2025, SO CLOSE TO 1700 US ADULTS. UM, AND THEY ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS TERM SHARED DECISION MAKING. UH, AROUND 10% OF 'EM DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY, WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANT. AND ABOUT A QUARTER OF THOSE SURVEYS SAID THAT SHARED DECISION MAKING MEANS THEY SHOULD DISCUSS THE VACCINATION DECISION WITH THEIR OWN FAMILY. SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AROUND THE CDC, UM, RECOMMENDATION. UM, AND THAT IN RESPONSE, THE WEST COAST HEALTH ALLIANCE, WHICH IS, YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW THIS, IT'S, UM, AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES OF CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND HAWAII. UM, THEY PUT OUT A STATEMENT, UM, SAYING THEY DISAGREED WITH, UM, THE METHODOLOGY AND THE REASON BEYOND C'S CHANGE, UM, AND RECOMMENDED VACCINATION IN ALIGNMENT WITH IZATION SCHEDULE OUTLINED BY THE A A P OR THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS. UM, I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS, UM, CALIFORNIA, UH, PASSED THE ASSEMBLY BILL 1 44 [00:40:01] IN SEPTEMBER. UM, AND IT EMPOWERS THE STATE TO SET ITS OWN IMMUNIZATION GUIDANCE MANDATES, INSURANCE COVERAGES FOR THOSE VACCINES. SO IT KIND OF BUFFERS US FROM, UM, CDC RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THEN, UM, IS IT PASSED BACK IN SEPTEMBER? UM, AND I THINK IT WAS, SO WE CAN IGNORE THIS, IDEALLY, YES. BUT THE MESSAGING IS OUT THERE AND IT'S CONFUSING TO PARENTS. YEAH. SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE MAIN THING. BUT, BUT OUR HEALTH INSURANCE EXACTLY, YES. WILL STILL COVER THE VACCINE. YEAH. SPEAK WITH YOUR PROVIDER. YEAH. BUT MOST PEOPLE, PROVIDERS, THAT'S THE, THAT THAT'S THE BIG DEAL. YEAH. NOT WHETHER, I MEAN, IT IS A BIG DEAL WHETHER PEOPLE MAKE THE, MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WANNA MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES, THE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD OTHERWISE UNDERMINE OUR ABILITY TO GET COVERAGE FOR OUR CHOICES. YEAH. SO THAT THE PASSAGE OF THAT LAW WAS A BIG DEAL FOR US. YEAH. UM, YEAH. AND I THINK IT WAS WHAT IT, IT WAS FORESIGHT ON THE, UM, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION TO, YEAH. SO, UM, AND THEN AT LEAST LOCALLY, WE PUT OUT A STATEMENT ON REAFFIRMING, UM, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDHOOD VACCINES TO, TO STAY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY PEDIATRICS. UM, AND THAT STATEMENT WENT OUT TWO DAYS AGO. SO, UM, SO THAT'S, UH, HOPEFULLY, I DON'T KNOW, UM, IN TERMS OF THE CONFUSION AROUND VACCINES, I'M SEEING IT EVEN WITHIN OUR, UM, FLU VACCINE RATES. I KNOW, UM, I TALKED ABOUT THE SUBPLATE K BUT I WAS SPEAKING TO OUR IMMUNIZATION TEAM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE JUST THE DEMAND FOR FLU VACCINES THIS YEAR IS A LOT LOWER. AND WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT SUBPLATE K HERE YET. OR I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT. WE, WE THINK, UM, IT, IT'S CIRCULATING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING, UM, A SHARP UPTAKE IN INFLUENZA ACTIVITY AS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. UM, BUT AGAIN, OUR VACCINE UPTAKE IS LOWER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. UM, THAT'S IT FOR MY, MY UPDATES. THANK YOU, DR. ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU AGAIN. UH, CAN I HAVE A, A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, OR TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORT? I SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. I ASSUME IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ASK. WHAT ABOUT THE, THE CHANGES TO THE, TO THE, UM, NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE? OH. AND FLIPPED IT. THAT YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THOSE VEGETABLES. WE NEED TO EAT MORE MEAT NOW. . RED MEAT. RED MEAT. YOU NEED TO EAT MORE RED MEAT. NOW THAT'S GONNA, OH, YOU NEED, YOU SHOULD EAT MORE RED. YES. YES. THEY FLIP, THEY KIND FLIP THE CHART. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS NOW DECIDED LESS GRADES THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ABOUT THE NUTRITION. WELL, IT'S 'CAUSE OF ROBERT KENNEDY JR. YES. HE TOLD THEM THAT THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. FATS ARE GOOD. SATURATED FATS ARE GOOD. NO, ACCORDING TO OUR, THEY BE THE WORST MEAT ACCORDING TO NOT ACCORDING TO OUR GOVERNMENT, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. YOU SHOULD NOT BE VACCINATED AND YOU SHOULD EAT A LOT OF RED MEAT. I DON'T KNOW. YES. MAYBE I HAVE A WRONG EDUCATION. WELL, I, I DON'T THINK SO. THAT'S, I DON'T THINK SO. BUT, BUT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT WE SHOULD EAT MORE RED MEAT AND FEWER GRAINS AND VEGETABLES. ATED IN THE WE IT ALL. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. AT LEAST IF WE EAT MORE RED MEAT, WE'LL STAY AWAY FROM THE DEATH MUSHROOMS. THAT WOULD BE GOOD. DEPENDS. YOU CAN SAUTE THE MEAT IN, I DUNNO. YEAH. AND ALCOHOL, ONCE AGAIN IS OKAY. OKAY. ADD A LITTLE RED WINE TO A LITTLE FIVE OUNCES. FIVE OUNCES, BECAUSE IT'S SOCIAL. RIGHT? THAT'S PART OF, THAT WAS PART OF THE ALCOHOL. YEAH. YEAH. THAT REGULATED IT ANYMORE. DRINK ALCOHOL. ANYTHING ABOUT THE WINE THEN SHOULD START RED WINE. NO, IT'S JUST ALCOHOL. JUST ALCOHOL. DOESN'T MATTER. THEY DON'T MOONSHINE. A NICE HUNK OF BEEF AND A DEATH CAT. MUSHROOM . SOUNDS LIKE MY IDEA. A FRIDAY NIGHT. [00:45:02] THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. BUT IF THINGS GO, IF THINGS, YEAH, THANKS. ANYWAY, , THE, UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS THE ANNUAL REPORT. DO YOU WANNA WALK US THROUGH THAT? DO I, DO WE HAVE A COPY HERE? OH, I HAVE ONE. UM, IT'S VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. YEAH. YEAH. IT'S VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. WE CAN, I CAN WALK THROUGH, UM, WE, I MEAN, IT, IT JUST, I USED LA THE LAST ANNUAL REPORT AS A TEMPLATE. SO, AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED. SO ANY REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. WE PROVIDED ADVISORY INPUT ON A RANGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES, UM, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROTECTIONS LIKE BEACH AND WATER SAFETY SIGNAGE WE CREATED AND UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN. UM, WE HELD MEETINGS MOST MONTHS. WE MISSED, WE DID NOT HAVE A MEETING IN FEBRUARY, UM, OR MAY OR AUGUST OR NOVEMBER. SO WE CANCELED A NUMBER BECAUSE OF QUORUM CHALLENGES. UM, BUT I MENTIONED THAT NOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES IN OUR BOARD, UM, OUR BOARD COMPOSITION, I THINK THAT WILL NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE. UM, AS EVIDENCED BY TODAY'S MEETING, WE MADE QUORUM LIKE BY 7 49. IT WAS FANTASTIC. UM, WE WERE THE, THE CHAIRS AND JUST A LIST OF THE PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY ASSISTED OUR BOARD. UM, A LIST OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK AND PRESENTATIONS RECEIVED. UH, I, I DO THINK WHEN I LOOKED AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR, THERE WERE, IT WASN'T A HUGE DIFFERENCE, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE FEWER, THERE WERE MORE PRESENTATIONS LAST YEAR THAN THIS YEAR. AND I DO THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE WORTH, UM, TAKING A LOOK AT FOR THIS FOR 2026. SO GETTING A FEW MORE PRESENTATIONS MIGHT, MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA. I THINK THE REASON WHY IS WE SPENT, UM, PRIORITIZED THE HEALTH, UH, STRATEGIC TRIAL. YEAH, WE DID. SO THAT BECAME THE, THE FOCUS. YEAH. I, I, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. AND NOW THAT WE'VE PASSED IT, MAYBE WE'LL WANNA GET BACK TO HEARINGS FROM, FROM MORE FOLKS. UM, BUT I DIDN'T SAY THAT HERE. I JUST NOTICED IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LAST PLAN AND THIS ONE, THAT THAT WAS, UM, THAT, THAT MIGHT INFORM THE WAY WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THIS YEAR. UM, I COVERED A LIST OF TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSED. UM, I BASICALLY DID THAT JUST BY GOING THROUGH THE MINUTES FROM THE, FROM THE MEETINGS AND EMERGING TRENDS. AND THEN WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE ENTIRE YEAR, WHICH I THINK ISN'T THAT UNUSUAL, BUT IT MIGHT BE NICE TO HEAR FROM AN OCCASIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT SOLICITING THAT, BUT THAT MIGHT BE WORTH SOMETHING WORTH DISCUSSING AT SOME POINT. UM, AND THEN SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, WHICH WE CAN DO EVEN AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK AT THE STATE OF THE CITY. IF, IF WE OFFEND, UM, AND I HOPE WE WILL, I WILL. UM, IMPLEMENTING THE BOARD'S STRATEGIC PLAN, ONGOING OVERSIGHT OF HEALTH RELATED FUNDING INITIATIVES AND STRENGTHENED THE FUNDING INITIATIVES, BEING THE FUNDRAISE, THE NEW FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE AND THE GRANT, UM, APPLICATIONS AND STRENGTHENED COLLABORATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. SO, UM, I THINK WE HAD A GREAT YEAR. UM, I THINK A LOT OF THE REASON IT WAS A GREAT YEAR WAS BECAUSE OF THE WORK DONE ON THAT STRATEGIC PLAN. AND I THINK THAT STRATEGIC PLAN NOW WILL GIVE US A LOT OF GUIDANCE ON HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE A PRODUCTIVE . SO THAT'S THE PLAN. IF ANYONE HAS ANY ADJUSTMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO INCLUDE, I GUESS NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO OFFER THAT. AND IF NOT, THEN WE CAN JUST FILE ANY, I'LL WORK ANY QUESTIONS. MY PLEASURE. I SHOULD HAVE DONE IT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, BUT IT'S DONE. NOBODY ASKED. GOOD. THANK YOU. IT IS, IT IS HELPFUL. AND IF, UM, IF ANYONE ELSE'S MEMORY IS LIKE EYE , IT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO ACTUALLY SEE THIS ON, ON, YEAH. THE, THE MINUTES REALLY THAT, YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THIS. UM, SO NOAH, QUESTIONS ARE HEARD FOR COMMENTS. UM, I'LL ASK FOR A, A MOTION [00:50:01] TO RECEIVE IN FILE MOTION. SECOND. SECOND. ALRIGHT. AND, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. PERFECT. AND, UM, THERE'S NO, NO ONE'S BEEN PUBLIC HERE. SO LET'S, LET'S GET THE PUBLIC COMMENT PART AND DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS, ANY, ANYTHING RELATED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OR THE COMMUNITY THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO SHARE? I'D JUST LIKE TO AGAIN, UPLIFT THE MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY ON TUESDAY NIGHT. UM, WHILE YOU DON'T HAVE TO ATTEND IN PERSON, THERE IS, UH, GONNA BE A BROADCAST ON LTV. UH, SO, UH, IT, I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED, UH, INVITES PERSONALLY AS COMMISSIONERS BEFORE. I'LL BE THERE. I'LL BE THERE TOO. KRISTEN, I, I ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA THROW THIS OUT THERE. IT'S NOT AN EXPENSIVE MASK AND I'M, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. I THINK IT'S POWERFUL TO SHOW UP IN PERSON, BUT ONLY IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE SIT ON THE COMMISSION. SO I'M WONDERING AT WORK, I HAVE A NAME TAG MM-HMM . AND IT SAYS LIKE, I CAN EVEN, I CARRY IT AROUND WITH ME SO THAT I CAN PUT IT ON WHEN I GET THERE. UM, IT'S AN EASY, THEY'RE NOT EXPENSIVE. THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY QUITE INEXPENSIVE. AND FOR F FOR EVENTS LIKE THE STATE OF CITY OR THE TREE LIGHTING, LIKE, SEE IT'S SIMPLE. MAGNETIC SUPER NOT, NOT EXPENSIVE AT ALL. SAYS EXACTLY. BRANDED. I WONDER WHETHER IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO HAVE THEM MADE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS, JUST SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS, IF WE SHOW UP, THE PRESENCE OF THE COMMISSION CAN BE REGISTERED BY FOLKS SO THAT THEY KNOW WE'RE NOT JUST LIKE COMMUNITY BUSY BODIES. WE'RE ACTUALLY THERE TO REPRESENT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN OUR CAPACITY AS COMMISSIONERS. I THINK JUST SHOWING UP IS GREAT, BUT SHOWING UP AND BE BEING COUNTED AS OF THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSION IN SUPPORT OF THIS PART OF OUR GOVERNMENT MIGHT ADD A LITTLE SOMETHING, BUT I MAYBE THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT USEFUL. YEAH, NO, I AGREE. AND WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE T-SHIRTS OR SOMETHING IN THE PAST. UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY IDENTIFIES AND THEN GIVES CREDIBILITY TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT UPLIFTING OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND COMMUNITY EVENTS AND BRINGS CREDIBILITY BACK TO THE, THE COMMISSION. SO, BECAUSE I'M NOT REMEMBERING RIGHT NOW, 'CAUSE THIS IS IN MY CART, WE, WE GOT LIKE IDS AT SOME POINT AND I THINK ON THEIR, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT I DID EVERYBODY. SO THAT'S, THAT WAS MY QUESTION. I THINK IT JUST SAYS COMMISSIONER, IT DOESN'T SAY LIKE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH USER, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING. YEAH. AND IT DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO BE LIKE THIS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN, YEAH. YEAH. AND I THINK HEALTH, I THINK THAT WAS THE ISSUE IS THAT, THAT ID HAS OUR FACES SAYS LONG CITY OF LONG BEACH, SO THAT'S COOL. BUT I DON'T THINK IT KIND OF CONNECTS US TO THIS COMMERCIAL. YEAH. 'CAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE CITY, BUT I'M HERE FOR RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. LIKE I WANT THE MAYOR TO SEE, I WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO SAY, OH YEAH, CAN I, HUMAN SERVICES? COOL. SO I DON'T KNOW. THAT WAS A THOUGHT THAT I REALLY LIKE THE, THE IDEA, UM, THE LIKE THE COST AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING IT. LIKE, IS THIS, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE EXPECTED TO, TO COVER? AND YOU KNOW, THE ADMIN CONSIDERING ALL THE OTHER THINGS GOING ON, I MEAN, I WOULD EVEN PAY FOR IT. LIKE, IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE. IT'S, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A BIG LIFT. I THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT AND DETERMINE THAT WE CAN FIND A BUDGET. I MEAN, STICKERS, THEY'RE LIKE $5 I THINK COFFEE YEAH. DONATE. IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO, LIKE WE WOULD HAVE THE APPROVAL THEN I'D LIKE THE IDEA OF US. MAYBE WE'LL JUST FIND WAYS AROUND IT. YEAH. AND THEN IF SOMEONE WOULD JUST HELP US TO ORDER THEM, I WOULD PAY FOR IT. ABSOLUTELY. ALEJANDRA WILL BE YOUR CONTACT AND WE'LL WORK FOR NOW. HELLO . I MEAN, I'M FINE WITH THAT, BUT THE REASON THAT I LIKE THIS IS BECAUSE I CAN JUST CARRY IT AROUND AND WHATEVER I'M WEARING, I DON'T HAVE TO WEAR ANYTHING SPECIFIC. SO THAT'S WHY I LIKE IT. BUT, UM, IF WE, IF SHIRTS ARE GREAT TOO. THAT'S LOVELY. I HAVE A, I'M JUST GONNA, UH, MAKE IT READ EVERYBODY AWARE YOU SHOULDN'T RECEIVED AN EMAIL ABOUT THE ANNUAL FILING [00:55:01] AND IT'S NOT DUE UNTIL APRIL, BUT BLANKET APRIL WILL BE HERE. IT'S TRUE. REALLY IMPORTANT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ECONOMICS. UM, YOU WANNA, UM, DO THAT. IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT TIME. AND THERE IS, BUT EVEN IF WE ARE INVITED IS COMMISSIONER, WHICH I GO IN SO MANY OF THE INVITATIONS AND ATTEND, YOU DON'T GET ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO OVER THERE, YOU SIT WITH THE PUBLIC, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIALTIES FOR COMMISSIONERS OR ANYTHING. JUST YOU GO REGISTER ANY COMMISSIONER. BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. THAT'S OKAY. ONLY TIME YOU ARE INVITED FOR THE SPECIAL COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, LIMITATION ON THIS. WHEN THEY, YOU DO THIS, THE LAMP LIGHTING THREE LIGHTING ONLY, THAT TIME YOU GET ONLY LITTLE BIT SPECIAL THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GO TO THE TOP FLOOR AND INTERMINGLE. BUT REST OF THE TIME YOU GO TO THE CITY ADDRESS OR ANYTHING, THEY DON'T EVEN CARE FOR COMMISSIONER. SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE BADGE, WHO CARES? YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S FOR PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY YOU AS LIKE THAT ROLE THAT YOU'RE IN AND THEN MAYBE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT. MM-HMM . I THINK IT'S KIND OF NICE CONVERSATION AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT NOBODY WOULD CARE. BUT I'VE GONE TO THAT TREE LIGHTING AND I'VE GONE TO THE STATE OF THE CITY AND IT HELPS TO KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP. MM-HMM . IN ORDER TO MAKE CONVERSATION THAT IS MORE SUBSTITUTE. YEAH. FOR ME, OTHERWISE, I'M LIKE, WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU HERE? OH, I'M HERE. BUT, AND THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE CONVERSATION. AND THEN WE MOVE ON WITH LIFE AND IT'S LOUD AND CONVERSATION IS DIFFICULT ANYWAY. SO JUST BEING ABLE TO BE LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE WAYNE'S WORLD, LIKE HEALTH HUMAN SERVICES, JUST TO SAY, JUST TO EVIDENCE THAT WE'RE ENGAGED TOWARDS IF YOU HAVE THAT BASE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MOST OF THEM, ALL OF THEM ARE THE COMMISSIONERS OVER THERE. THAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT. BUT WE DON'T KNOW FROM WHICH DEPARTMENT. EXACTLY. EXACTLY. MY POINT THEN IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO START THE CONVERSATION. I GO MORE EVERY TIME. SO I KNOW MOST OF THEM, BUT OTHERWISE IT IS DIFFICULT. YEAH. AND IT, IT EVIDENCES THAT WE'RE ENGAGED AND THAT WHATEVER IS GOING ON AT HELPING HUMAN WITH SERVICES, THIS COMMISSION SHOWING UP. MM-HMM. I THINK PEOPLE DO CLOCK BACK IF WE DO SHOW UP AND WE'RE IDENTIFIABLE. I THINK THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE CLOCKS THAT. YEAH. I SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THAT COMMISSION THERE. YEAH. NO, FROM MAYOR, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM BECAUSE HE KNOWS ME. I, I GO WITH . SO, BUT OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMISSIONER, WE LIKE TO INTERMINGLE WITH OTHERS ALSO. MM-HMM . I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IN THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO WOULD I YEAH. SO WOULD I, SO ESPECIALLY ONE TIME THAT EVERY YEAR WE SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF MEETING I GET TOGETHER WHERE ALL OTHER DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONERS COMES ALSO BECAUSE YES, WE ARE DOING ALL THESE THINGS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. RIGHT. AND THEY DON'T KNOW ACTUALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING. SO WE ARE JUST LIMITED IN OUR GROUP. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT WE ARE DOING. AND THEY DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW. IT USED TO BE THE, THE HARVARD, THEY'LL BE VERY GOOD IDEA TO EXTEND THE IDEA TO GET NEW IDEAS UNTIL, UNLESS YOU TALK WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE WORK THAT WE DO. LIKE THERE'S THE, UM, THE COURT COMMISSION CONNECTS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION KIND OF CONNECTS WITH OUR, SO I HAD, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. WHO IS THIS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, RIGHT? IT IS, BUT IT DOES GET PUBLISHED. YEAH. OKAY. SO, UM, IS THERE, HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TIME WHERE THERE WAS LIKE A CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONS TO LIKE REPORT THEIR REPORT TO EACH OTHER? LIKE ANNUALLY OR EVEN TO MEET EACH OTHER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? SURE. I HAVE THAT NOTE. BEEN ORIENTATIONS. YOU HAVE TO AGONIZE SOME EVENTS AND IF CITY DOESN'T HAVE MONEY, WE DON'T CARE FOR THE FOOD. DON'T GIVE US ANY FOOD. YOU KNOW, JUST IF YOU CAN AFFORD COFFEE, JUST PUT THE COFFEE AND CRA BUT AT LEAST YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET EACH OTHER. YOU KNOW, I, UM, WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE THIS BACK. JEFF WILLIAMS IS THE, UM, PERSON IN MAYOR'S OFFICE WHO, UM, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMISSIONS. AND, UH, JEFF USED TO LEAD, UH, LEADERSHIP [01:00:01] LONG BEACH. SO HE IS VERY MUCH A PERSON, UM, WHO HAS HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, CONVENING VOLUNTEERS. UM, SO, UH, I'LL TAKE THIS BACK TO THEM. I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA. AND, UH, WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY CAN COME UP WITH. I'M SUGGESTING FOR THREE, FOUR YEARS. AND I EVEN MADE SOME OTHER COMMISSIONERS ALSO, YOU KNOW, AND I ASKED THEM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES? THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THIS DEPARTMENT EXISTS. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THEY'LL LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT US. WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA THAT WE ALL SHOULD MEET TOGETHER. 2026 IS THE YEAR. YES. . UH, SO FOR IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, AGENDA ITEMS OR IDEAS, UH, PLEASE, UH, EMAIL 'EM TO, TO ME OR COMMISSIONER BUSSON, UH, FOR, FOR NEXT MEETING OR FUTURE MEETINGS. UM, AND THEN PERHAPS AT THE NEXT MEETING WE CAN SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT FOCUS AREAS, WHO'S COMING HERE NOW THAT WE'VE COMPLETED. UM, THEY, YOU KNOW, THE WORK OF THE PREVIOUS SESSION. UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN ABOUT WHAT OUR FOLKS WILL BE BEFORE FOR 2026. UM, WITH THAT, IT'S ALMOST NINE O'CLOCK. UH, CAN I HAVE A, A MOTION TO CLOSE THAT OUR MEETING. SO MOVED. SECOND IN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALRIGHT. MOTION. CARRIE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIRMAN. OH, THANKS. I MADE IT. OH YEAH. IT'S JUST, OR SOMETHING. YEAH. I DID, I DID COLLEGE AND THEN I WAS LIKE, OH, I WANT KEEP GOING WITH IT. AND THEN I FOUND. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.