The Calaveras Board of Supervisors meetings are much more important than you may realize.  One of our members, Janet, has generously been taking detailed notes which gives you a chance to follow along.

This link is from the 3/9/21 meeting.  If you’d like to see the actual meeting, a video is available through the County’s website.  If you’d like to download Janet’s notes, they can be found here: 20210309-Calaveras-BoS. There’s also a Calaveras County CC youtube version which gives a different perspective.

We’ve mainly included the detailed notes here from the Public Health Updates.  We’ve mentioned other items but refer you to Janet’s notes and the video for additional information.  Watching the whole video will give you complete information and an appreciation for Janet’s willingness to take these notes.

Pubic meeting called to order at 9:25 a.m.

Staff Announcements

• Sheriff Rick DiBasilio – wanted to provide an update that they got their computer system working which saved money.
• Lisa Medina – animal clinics are scheduled for rabies and microchip on the following Saturdays: April 3, May 1, June 5, September 4, October 2, and December 4, 2021. Info is also on their website.

Public Health Updates

5. Public Health Services (ID # 5927) Receive an update presentation from staff on
COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)

• Sam Leach – as of today, completed 23,946 tests; 1,933 positive tests, 40 active cases, 1,844 recovered, one current hospitalization; 12,655 vaccine doses to Calaveras residents; 2,670 vaccine doses received this week, 3,700 weeks prior; catching up on backfill from the prior two slim weeks.
• Current tiers vaccinating – Phase 1A and 1B.
• Still in the purple tier but we should be moving into the red tier which State will make an announcement, exciting news. Should be made official today and will provide a press release. The red tier will allow businesses to start to open up. Go to the blueprint for a safer economy for detailed information. We are effectively in the red tier tomorrow, March 10.
• Test positivity rate and new cases will continue to be critical moving forward and what is measured to get into lower tiers. We want to continue moving forward. Past three months we have been very restricted in the purple tier. In the red tier, we will move towards schools opening and sports beginning.
• The direction is more important than speed. We have been heading in the right direction. Businesses will start to open in a limited capacity and school in-person learning can begin. Understands it isn’t happening as quickly as the public wants it to but feels we are over the hump but we have a lot of work we need to continue to do.
• Don’t get too complacent, continue to wear masks, maintain social distance, avoid large gatherings, wash hands. Stay home if sick and isolate.
• Vaccines are helping but we need to continue to be cautious so we don’t have an outbreak.
• Testing at Ironstone today from 10 am to 6 p.m. and on every Tuesday; Friday at Calaveras Consolidated Fire in Jenny Lind from 9:30 a.m. to noon; site in Sonora is still available.
• Ran the first vaccine clinic at Frog Town Fairgrounds on March 1, went well. This site worked very
  well. Travel clinics can only do a small outreach – 50 to at most 100. At Frog Town will do about 600 doses this Thursday, Marcy 11.
• We are getting a lot of allocation and will continue to put shots into arms.
• Reached saturation point with 65+ population which means demand has gone way down.
• Open to Phase 1A and 1B. Good time to sign up on the MyTurn website now.
• All registration from this Thursday, March 11, and on will be done from the MyTurn website. Can
  google to find your way through it. Will get a notification when it is your turn to register. We Will also set up Frog Town Clinic through this website.
• If you live and work outside of Calaveras County, we will call and cancel your appointment. Our vaccine allocation is only for Calaveras County residents.
• Schools – will continue to coordinate with CCOE partners to transition to safe in-person learning and sports that can be done safely. Moving into the red tier will help with what can open up but it is very detailed per the State’s rules. Need to make sure everyone is safe and to avoid any future outbreaks to put us back in the purple tier.
• Schools reopening can look different because of the structures of the schools; e.g., one school may have more space to move desks versus another school that does not have space. Each school is unique and it may vary as they begin to open.
• We are doing well with getting vaccines into people’s arms. Sam Leach was at Frog Town clinic last week and saw the great work by Public Health and the citizens were so grateful to get their shot.
• Thanked all volunteers who have helped with clinics – Sheriff, CERT. OES, vaccinators, Public Health, among others.
• Happy to have a partnership with Mark Twain and will continue to work together in administering vaccines. We are both in it for the long haul. Will share allocations with Mark Twain and continue to work as a team. Will do the majority of shots at Frog Town moving forward.
• Believe folks that have been eligible and waiting have been contacted and make sure they know they are eligible. Doing as much outreach to eligible groups and does not believe people are getting left behind.
• Feels like entering a new phase where allocation is really ramping up and State is broadening criteria regarding who is eligible. Will continue to operate in State’s confine. Feels by end of March will be able to move to people under 65; probably 50+ and work our way down and feels we should be in a good position by Summer.
• Going into the red tier will not put as back to normal. We need to make sure we continue to be diligent and careful so we can progress into the lower tiers.
• Colleen Rodriguez – Deputy Director of Public Health
• We meet with CCOE at least one time per week if not more often. We discuss guidances that are constantly changing.
• Doug Archer – Mark Twain Hospital
• 1 hospitalization – fairly stable, not in ICU.
• Launched online scheduling on Friday, February 19.
• Still working through the list but it is dwindling. The goal is to get vaccinated, we don’t mind where you get it, just want residents to be vaccinated.
• To date, given around 6,500 doses, we are at Arnold clinic today giving second doses.
• Dignity Health is no longer receiving vaccine distribution, getting about 10 doses per week. The partnership with the County Health team is critical and fortunate to get all residents vaccinated.
• Signing up for MyTurn this week, not sure when they will go live but will provide the vaccine through County supply. Doesn’t see any issue with the continued partnership. Allocation will come from Public Health versus Dignity

Recognition and Acknowledgements

6. County Counsel (ID # 5929) Proclamation Recognizing Peter Maurer’s Seven Years of Service as Calaveras County Planning Director

Consent Agenda

Motion to approve consent agenda items, Passed – 5-0

Regular Agenda

16. Administrative Office (ID # 5912) Authorize the Board Chair to sign the response to the FY 2019-20 Grand Jury Report regarding the Assessor’s Office.

Motion to approve – Passed – 5-0

17. Planning (ID # 5910) Conduct a public hearing, find the project exempt from CEQA, and adopt an Ordinance amending the zoning on APNs 042-009-040 and 042-009-041 from C2 to R2. Authorize publication of brief description and map of re-classified property

Motion to approve – Passed – 5-0

18. Planning (ID # 5923) Conduct a public hearing, find that the project is a “later activity” per Section 15168(c) of the CEQA Guidelines under the EIR prepared for the General Plan, and adopt the comprehensive Zoning Map update (Project 2020-065). Authorize publication of summary ordinance description and URL link to brief property descriptions.

Motion to approve with amendments – Passed – 5-0

Supervisor Announcements

• Supervisor Callaway – had Area 12 agency on the aging meeting – home meals increased by 2,250 meals over the past year due to COVID, common grounds delivered from 39,000 to over 41,000 home meals.
• Chair Stopper – about two weeks ago Eric Klingfelter – Fish and Wildlife – reached out to him that a grey wolf had traveled into Tuolumne County. The wolf started out in Bend, Oregon, traveled to Calaveras County then Tuolumne County to the East to Hwy 395. First grey wolf in Calaveras County in 90 to 100 years. There is a tag on this young wolf. Beautiful creatures but need to be wary of them, wishes it the best as it proceeds on.

Meeting adjourned at 11:50 a.m.