Mendocino County Today: Wednesday, July 18, 2018

• Measure H
• Ominous Sign
• KZYX Meeting
• Birdsell Selection
• Little Dog
• MUSD Representation
• Rougert Park
• Shelter Decision
• Costco Countdown
• New Regs
• Reduced Hours
• Daily Harvest
• Yesterday's Catch
• Orange Meltdown
• Oligarchy
• Clean California
• Putin Fanboy
• Dem Collapse
• Palestinian Land
• MCHSCoC Meeting
• Puppet
• Cancer Fundraiser
• Coming Floods

FORT BRAGG is putting a 3/8 cent sales tax measure on the November ballot. According to the City Council resolution, “If the measure passes by a simple majority, the City’s intent is to commit to a 15-year amortization period on the estimated $9.4 million unfunded accrued [pension] liability instead of a 30-year amortization. The reduced payment period will save the City taxpayers an estimated $4.1 million.”

A draft ballot statement asking voters to approve the measure says:

 “YES” on Measure H! It makes financial sense and saves taxpayers millions.

Almost all California cities, including Fort Bragg, face the financial challenge of increasing pension obligations. Like most cities in California, Fort Bragg must rely on the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to manage its pension plans.

Unlike a 401(k) or other pension programs, Fort Bragg cannot shop for a new pension provider, change investments or change the benefits that have been or will be offered. Those decisions are made in Sacramento and set in law.

The most current CalPERS Reports set the Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL) for the City’s CalPERS plans at $9.4 million. The unfunded accrued liability is the additional amount needed to fund pension benefits that were established in years past. This pension shortfall is owed and represents service already earned. This is a City obligation that must be paid.

Measure H spreads the tax burden to our tourist and regional populations who use our services. Tourists will generate about 40% of the sales tax revenue and regional residents who live outside City limits but shop in the City will generate about 33%. City residents will generate the smallest portion, about 27% of the sales tax revenue.

The City’s budget was balanced this year in part by freezing one Police Officer position. Without additional revenue more City positions and programs are likely to be eliminated in future years, resulting in reduced City services.

The success or failure of Measure H will not change the amount due - only the ability to keep pace with increasing costs and repay the debt early. With the passage of Measure H, the City can commit to a 15-year payment payoff plan (instead of 30-year) which will save the taxpayers more than $4.1 million.

When the Ballot Measure was approved at a Special City Council Meeting the following explanation was offered:

On June 25, 2018, the City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 4107-2018 submitting a special purpose tax measure to the City Voters at the November 6, 2018, General Election. That measure provided for 3/8ths of a cent for the sole purpose of reducing the City’s California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL) over 15 years instead of 30 and saving the City an estimated $4.1 million. A special purpose tax requires the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of City Voters. A general purpose tax only requires the approval of a simple majority (50% plus 1) of the City voters.

Just before the June 28, 2018 deadline to pull measures from the state ballot, the Tax Fairness, Transparency and Accountability Act of 2018, labeled by the League of California Cities and other opponents as “The Corporate Tax Trick” was rescinded. That statewide ballot measure would have required two-thirds voter approval on all local tax matters and would have retroactively applied to January 1, 2018 thereby retroactively repealing the 25 measures approved in June by local voters statewide and any general tax measures passed by a simple majority but less than two-thirds in November 2018. It was partially because of this measure that the City Council decided to pursue a special purpose tax measure instead of a general tax measure in November.

Pulling the Tax Fairness, Transparency and Accountability Act of 2018 measure from the state ballot was the result of a compromise reached between the American Beverage Association and Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Instead, AB 1838 was signed by the Governor on June 28, 2018 which forbids any tax, fee or assessment on groceries (which by definition includes carbonated and noncarbonated nonalcoholic beverages) until January 1, 2031.

In response to rescinding of the ballot measure, the New Revenue Ad Hoc Committee raised the question whether or not the City Council should withdraw the Fort Bragg Special Purpose 3/8 cent special tax measure, which requires two-thirds voter approval and instead submit a general 3/8 cent tax measure which only requires the 50% plus one or simple majority to pass in its place.

At the City Council Meeting on July 9, 2018, City Council provided staff direction to rescind the special purpose sales tax and in its place submit a general purpose sales tax measure. a general tax measure requires only a simple majority (50% + 1) of the voters’ approval and the proceeds can be used for any governmental purpose.

A general purpose tax is more flexible and requires a lower threshold to pass. Unlike a special purpose tax, a general tax can only be placed on the ballot at the same time City Councilmembers are elected. Therefore, a general tax cannot be brought forward again until November 2020, but a special revenue tax can be placed on any local ballot.

WE GET THE BASIC IDEA, i.e., to pay off the pension debt sooner and save on interest rates. But there seem to be a lot of “slush fund” and “how did we get into this situation and what are we doing about it?” type questions concerning how and when the money will be collected and paid back into pension system and how this stop-gap measure prevents another round later. Besides, the Fort Bragg area just voted (barely) for a Hospital parcel tax. Now the City wants voters to approve a sales tax increment on the grounds that it saves on pension costs and most of it will be paid by tourists and visitors (i.e., Coast residents who don’t live in the City itself)?

WE WONDER 1) Why there’s no discussion of this new tax in any Fort Bragg forum so far? And 2) whether Fort Bragg voters will really buy the argument that they should pay a higher sales tax so they can “save taxpayer money”?

(Mark Scaramella)

THE END IS NEAR

MONDAY EVENING'S meeting of KZYX's board of director's meeting at Boonville High School confirmed that the usually impervious group is beginning to worry that their income is consistently short of their cash outflow. Overall, and here you're free to invoke tattered metaphors involving icebergs, ocean liners and deck furniture, despite a rosy summary of recent station-related events from general manager Jeff Parker, a more dire report was offered by the board's finance man, Bob Bushansky and later confirmed by Alice Woelfle, the station's program manager who read a lengthy announcement stating, in essence, that by rearranging KZYX's daily program schedule more listeners could be lured to Philo, resulting in more station memberships, more underwriting. Long-time programmer Jeff Blankfort heatedly disagreed, describing Ms. Woelfle as short on radio experience while vehemently disagreeing with her plan to reschedule the daily line-up.

DURING the recent board elections I complained that the station's budget was unreadable. My opponent, the aforementioned Bushansky, said it was perfectly clear to him. Apparently not clear enough. I was pleased to see that Bushansky had produced a transparent, and transparently ominous budget he titled "Mendocino County Public Broadcasting FY 2018-19 Summary Operating Budget." It's obvious at a glance that expenses are outrunning income, although total revenues are tidily identical to total expenses.

KZYXProposed_Budget_FY18_6.23.17

KZYX is paying out about half its income to its employees. The general manager and the program director, two positions that ought to be combined because there's no evidence either one is a full-time task, are paid about a hundred thou a year plus perks. The station's tech guy probably makes fifty or so while the several women presenting an uneven daily blurb they call local news are paid who knows how much for productions that experienced reporters could knock out in a few minutes. Presently, no real news is offered, and there's never, and never has been, any real discussion of local affairs. And $29 grand a year for rent of the ramshackle Philo premises?

SEEMS clear enough from here that staff is taking too much out of our stumbling version of public radio while previous staffs have managed to alienate so many former station members there is now little enthusiasm in the county for the enterprise beyond the present cadre of programmers and an aging membership. Commercial stations on the Mendocino Coast and inland easily outdraw KZYX for local news and, I guess, music programming. Public Radio Mendo has to step up their game but they may not know what the game is.

GIVEN the intense competition for the public's fragged attention from electronic media, television, other radio, and so on KZYX has got to go lean and mean. Lean will be hard, but they've always had the mean part down, hence a big part of their prob — a snarling public face.

THE MEETING was civil although the board chairman, Mr. John Azzaro, seemed irritated at several speakers and oddly dyspeptic generally. Dude! Professional distance!

I WASN'T surprised to learn that the most listened-to program is NPR's "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me", confirming that the NPR demographic, here and everywhere, is mostly comfortable silly people.

GM PARKER did mention that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting report on the Philo operation is still pending.

SAME OLD, SAME OLD AT MCDH

Editor,

Monday night, on the same day the American President was accused of treason, the Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) Board of Directors voted 3 yeses with Dr. Peter Glusker abstaining, to select previous member Tom Birdsell to fill the position vacated by Lucas Campos.

With an experienced and diverse slate of 8 candidates, the MCDH Board chose the “safe route” of choosing the candidate with 13 years of experience in the previous regime, contributing to the ongoing failings of the hospital. As the President of the MCDH Board during the 2016 Election, Mr. Birdsell placed 4th, after Mr. Lund, Dr. Campos and Kaye Handley.

The Candidates for this short term 4 month position also included: Norman de Vall, Amy McColley, Karen Arnold, John Redding, Lea Christensen, Barbara Kilian and Peter Lit (who did not attend the interview, so was not considered). There was an amazing broad range of medical, management and nonprofit experiences among the other candidates, so we are hopeful that this slate of people will also apply for the four positions to be elected in November.

Candidates were given opportunities to make opening and closing statements, as well as each answering five questions presented by Pat Dunbar, representing the League of Women Voters.

The following questions were asked:

[x] What applicable experience do you have with Mendocino Coast District Hospital, Critical Access Hospitals and/or Medical Facilities?

[x] What are the 3 most important roles of a Board Member? Compare and contrast with the roles of the CEO?

[x] What are the three most critical problems facing the Mendocino Coast Healthcare District and how would you approach them?

[x] Can you read and understand budgets and financial statements? What is your experience with Medicare and MediCal monies for a hospital?

[x] What is your opinion regarding the need for Obstetrics?

When the MCDH Board voted, then announced Mr. Birdsell as the new MCDH Board Member, a murmur of dissent emerged from some of the crowd, as “word on the street” was it was a “done deal” before the interviews were conducted. With a full house watching, it appeared there was a great deal of community interest, with many of people not being regular attendees or MCDH staff.

Candidates demonstrated a wide range of relevant experience and opinions on these topics, which are vital the ongoing health of MCDH/MCHD. Mendocino TV is hopeful, given the impressive qualities of these residents; there will be a healthy slate of potential MCDH Board Members for the November elections!

Watch the video to evaluate the potential MCDH Board Members and begin preparing for the November Election, as a healthy hospital is critical to a healthy community.

mendocinotv.com/2018/07/16/mcdh-special-board-meeting-july-16-on-mendocino-tv/

Marianne McGee, MA

Fort Bragg

* * *

MARGARET PAUL COMMENTS:

Bad Move

With the MCDH's selection of Birdsell-again, comes confirmation that there is no intention to change course. The community demonstrated faith in the Board by passing Measure C and have been betrayed by their "business as usual" posture. I respect Dr. Glusker for abstaining. Had one of the other much more competent candidates been selected, that person would have had 4 months to learn the ropes and gain traction before the November election. What we need to do as a community is band behind the four most qualified candidates and see to it that they are elected. The hospital is now on life-support. Without qualified people at the helm, there is no hope for its survival.

* * *

MARK SLAFKES COMMENTS:

We need board members who are willing and able to disagree with the CEO. For now, all of this crap needs to be placed on his shoulders. Fixing these sorts of problems is part of why he is paid so much money. The board needs to manage him and NOT be managed BY him. In an interview of one of the pain doctors, the CEO's latest "managerial efforts" are going to result in the coast having an even more difficult time trying to get doctors to move their practice to the coast. His behavior towards the pain docs is abominable, offensive, and has long term consequences we absolutely don't need.

Clearly, the existing board is a "running dog" for the CEO and changing one or two members of the board will have absolutely no impact on our hospital. Either we get a majority of more capable members who are willing to duke it out with the CEO or we can kiss our hospital goodbye.

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “Ordinarily I'm not a name dropper, but when Mendocino County's top law enforcement officer, the DA himself, stops by with a box of milk bones for me like he did this morning, tell me I'm not Top Dog!

THE FATE OF MENDO’S SATELLITE SCHOOLS

Editor,

What is best for Mendocino School District’s children?

The Mendocino Unified School District (MUSD) has three one room schoolhouses (Albion, Comptche & Elk). These “necessary small schools” brought MUSD a lot of money.

Around 2006/2007 the school board changed the funding to “Basic Aid” thereby making more money and promised to still support these “Necessary Small Schools”.

A group of disgruntled parents asked MUSD to find a new method of electing school board members (not according to the current 5 trustee areas), but the school board decided to stay with the current representation. They then petitioned the Mendocino County Office of Education requesting either an at large representation, increase the # of trustees, or change trustee area boundaries in order to have what they call a “fair and proportionate representation”.

Founders of the Albion School and other supporters of necessary small schools are worried that these sites will be closed and eventually sold. The Albion School was threatened last year due to temporary lower enrollment.

We believe that maintaining MUSD representation as it currently stands and as it was recommended by MUSD should remain. The current representation is in compliance with all laws and regulations and needs no adjustment. We believe that no change in either district configuration or numbers of representatives needs to happen.

Does MUSD with 500 students need 7 trustees? If redistricting of trustee areas gets approved who will support these necessary small schools? Why is this hearing scheduled during the school vacation when parents can not be reached, and the MUSD Superintendent can not attend? Waiting with this hearing until school starts will not increase election cost.

Please look up mcoe.us/District/1623-School-District-Organization.html click on 7-23-18 agenda and attend the public hearing July 23 at 10am at the Matheson Performing Arts Center, 45096 Cahto Street, Mendocino.

Annemarie Weibel

On behalf of the Albion School Builders

Mendocino

THE ROHNERT PARK BANDIDOS

Editor:

I read thorough the Press Democrat article regarding seizures of assets far beyond the policing area of Rohnert Park. What struck me was the silence of every city official and how each and every one of the City Council members remain silent. The use of “personnel issue” as a shield is pathetic.

Here we have officers 40 miles away making seizures of assets and marijuana with what appears to be little supervision and no accountability. The question begs every time I read about this fiasco: Why was this officer so far out of his jurisdiction? Where is the cash that nobody seems to know about?

What this situation needs is transparency. It’s not a personnel issue when money is missing from police stops that may have been made illegally and when the officer involved “resigns” as the investigation begins.

The Rohnert Park City Council, the mayor and the city manager need to explain to people, not just in Rohnert Park, but in Sonoma County, what’s going on here. The reason people outside Rohnert Park need to know is because Rohnert Park officers apparently do their work all over the county in what appears to be a nefarious manner. People in Sonoma County need to be leery of this force until they explain themselves. Transparency is needed here.

Murray Averick

Penngrove

ON JULY 18, 2018, the Fort Bragg City Council will discuss a Local Government Emergency Shelter Certification for Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Submittal. For more information, click here and scroll to Agenda item 1B.

* * *

TO: Tabatha Miller, City Manager, City of Fort Bragg (707) 961-2829 TMiller@FortBragg.com

Re: ESG Grant Local Government Approval Tuesday, July 17, 2018 6:59:35 AM

Thank you for calling a special meeting on July 18th to receive City Council approval to sign the "Emergency Shelter Certification of Local Government Approval".

Overview of Federal/State Emergency Solutions Grants

This grant is a joint Federal Emergency Solutions Grant and CA Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG). These federal and state funds come through our Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (CoC). There are two separate funding sources (Federal and State) and two separate grant applications (Noncompetitive and Competitive Applications).

Last year Mendocino Coast Hospitality Center applied for and received both grants. We received $120,882 for our competitive grant for our Hospitality House Shelter to help fund emergency shelter operations; and $120,882 for our Homeless Resource Center to provide support and Rapid Rehousing funds and homeless prevention to homeless people identified through the County Coordinated Entry Program.

This year we are again applying for both the competitive and the noncompetitive grants, but so far only the federal government has sent out the NOFA and funding amounts...which is significantly less than last year's amount. It is anticipated that the state announcement will happen sometime in August so we may be coming back to you requesting another "Certification of Local Government Approval" for the State competitive grant.

2018 Noncompetitive Grant

Our Noncompetitive Application for Rapid Rehousing funds does not require City Certification. Due to the cut in federal funding, we will be requesting approximately $67,500 rather than the $120,882 that was received last year.

2018 Competitive Grant

We will be requesting approximately $120,000 in federal funds again this year for our Competitive Grant. Those funds will be used solely for the Hospitality House for shelter operations. As you know, with the increase in our staffing this past year, those funds are critically needed to assist in covering Hospitality House's operational needs.

Please let us know if you have any other questions; and thanks again for signing the Local Government Certification.

Lynelle

COSTCO COUNTDOWN

Costco will open a membership warehouse in Ukiah on Thursday, July 19, at 8:00 am. The 141,000-square-foot warehouse is located at 1275 Airport Park Blvd., at the southwest corner of Highway 101 and Talmage Road. Previously, residents of the area had to drive approximately 61 miles southeast to Santa Rosa or 68 miles southeast to Rohnert Park to shop at Costco.

"We are thrilled to be bringing Costco’s low warehouse prices to the residents of Ukiah,' said Warehouse Manager Michael Wiederholt. 'They have been asking us to open here for a long time, and we already have made an impact on the local job market. We look forward to contributing to the community in many ways."

In the Costco tradition, the Ukiah warehouse will offer quality, brand-name and private-label merchandise at incredible values. Costco helps businesses save money on supplies and on items for resale, and provides a wide range of products and services for personal use as well.

This new Costco location will feature a variety of convenient specialty departments, including a gas station, fresh bakery, fresh meat, fresh produce, fresh deli with rotisserie chicken, optical department with independent doctor of optometry, pharmacy, tire center, hearing aid center, food court, and beer, liquor and fine wine.

Members also can save on Costco services such as travel and auto buying.

This 127th Costco warehouse in California will be the 523rd in the U.S., and 753rd worldwide. Costco has 92 million cardholders throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, France, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and Iceland.

The company has been recognized throughout the country for providing its employees with real living wages – the highest in the industry – and for its ethical business practices.

For more information about Costco, please visit www.Costco.com

* * *

HEADING TO COSTCO

NEW CALIFORNIA CANNABIS REGULATIONS —

What Mendocino farmers should know

California’s three state cannabis licensing authorities published their proposed regulations July 13 in the California Regulatory Notice Register. That’s the first step toward adopting non-emergency regulations and marks the opening of a 45-day public comment period. Jane Futcher's guests on the next Cannabis Hour on KZYX are California Growers Association executive director Hezekiah Allen and Mendocino farmer Casey O’Neill of the CGA’s board. They’ll talk about what’s new and important in the proposed regs so that cannabis farmers can give the state their informed feedback before it’s too late. That’s Thursday, July 26, 9 a.m., on KZYX. If you miss the show, you can listen to the archived version on jukebox.kzyx.org.

REDUCED HOURS OF PLANNING STAFF AVAILABILITY IN FORT BRAGG PLANNING AND BUILDING SERVICES

Effective Monday, July 23, 2018, the Fort Bragg Office of Planning and Building Services will have Reduced Hours of PLANNING Staff Availability.

Planning staff will only be available from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 daily, Monday thru Friday.

Please Note: Office is closed during the lunch hour from 12:00 - 1:00.

For specific information or coastal project specific questions, you may leave a message at the Fort Bragg Office 707-964-5379 and your call will be returned in 24-48 hours. It is advised that having an appointment with the planner that you wish to meet with is ideal to insure the person you need to speak with is available.

For general questions, you may contact the Inland Ukiah Planning and Building Services Department at 707-234-6650.

We appreciate your cooperation and patience with our reduced staff hours. It is anticipated limited access will only be in place for a short time. In the meantime, the Department is actively recruiting for planning staff.

Ignacio Gonzalez, Interim Director Of Planning And Building Services

MAYBE SHE COULD GET AWAY WITH THIS IN HAYWARD, BUT…

ON JULY 16, 2018 an Officer of the Fort Bragg Police Department was dispatched to Harvest Market for the report of a suspect in the store who was suspected of shoplifting the week prior. The Officer made contact with the suspect who provided a false name belonging to her mother. The suspect, later identified as Dayna Anderson, 39, of Hayward, fled the location while the Officer contacted store staff. A brief vehicle pursuit ensued, with Anderson fleeing police for over one mile while violating various vehicle code sections.

After turning her vehicle around near the intersection of Simpson Lane and Highway 1, Anderson was finally stopped by police in the parking lot of Shoreline Cottages where it was discovered that she maintained a motel room. Anderson was arrested with minimal incident and later transported to the Mendocino County Jail on the above charges.

Based on information provided by Harvest Market staff and evidence located in Anderson’s motel room, an investigation continues into the suspicion that Anderson shoplifted multiple times from Harvest Market over the last week.

Questions regarding this press release may be directed to Officer O’Neal at (707) 961-2800 ext. 167 or toneal@fortbragg.com.

CATCH OF THE DAY, July 17, 2018

DAYNA ANDERSON, Hayward/Fort Bragg. Shoplifting, false personation of another person, evasion.

JOSHUA CARROLL, Ukiah. DUI, failure to appear, probation revocation.

GEORGE FIGUEROA, Fort Bragg. Domestic battery.

MATTHEW GIBSON, Fort Bragg. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

JARED HAWKINS, Fort Bragg. Grand theft.

ADAM KESTER, Willits. Disorderly conduct-alcohol&drugs.

JOHN MURPHY, Warrenton, Virginia/Fort Bragg. Grand theft.

HUFF TALKS TOUGH

On both the right and the left, almost everyone is calling Trump's Helsinki meltdown a disgrace and a terrible day for America. I actually consider it a good day, for this reason: Trump is now fully exposed. The whole world finally saw in unmistakable and undeniable form what I and many others have been shouting for what seems like forever: the man is dangerously and perhaps treasonously compromised, unfit to serve as President, and must be removed from office. A few holdouts may still try to defend him, but not serious people. The line has been drawn: you're either with the United States, or you're with Russia/Putin/Trump. Responsible members of Congress and Trump's cabinet should start demanding his resignation now. Allowing this to play out for weeks or months will only add to the serous damage he has wrought on our country and our standing in the world.

— Congressman Huffman

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

Consider that during the 2016 election cycle the 20 top individual donors coughed up more than 500 million bucks in donations to political organizations.

opensecrets.org/overview/topindivs.php?cycle=2016&view=fc

Consider also that the 20 top organizational donors also coughed up over 500 million bucks in donations to political organizations.

opensecrets.org/overview/toporgs.php?cycle=2016&view=fc

If you want to know what oligarchy looks like, this is what it looks like.

Consider these amounts of money from these people. Do you think they’re paying all these sums out of the goodness of their hearts?

Look at the lists. These are the shot-callers. If the system is going down the drain, it’s going down the drain in the service of these few interests.

Trump was never intended to be in the Oval Office and they’re trying to get him out by any means short of rifle-shots.

There was supposed to be an Obama-Hillary hand-off. The trouble is Hillary fucked it up.

PRESIDENT TRUMP, I just saw your press conference with President Putin and it was embarrassing. I mean, you stood there like a little wet noodle, like a little fanboy. I was asking myself, 'When are going to ask him for an autograph or a selfie or something like that?'

— Arnold Schwarzenegger

GLENN GREENWALD: "It wasn’t just Hillary Clinton in 2016 who lost this election. The entire Democratic Party has collapsed as a national political force over the last decade. They’ve lost control of the Senate and of the House and of multiple statehouses and governorships. They’re decimated as a national political force. And the reason is exactly what Joe said. They become the party of international globalization. They’re associated with Silicon Valley and Wall Street billionaires and corporate interests, and have almost no connection to the working class. And that is a much harder conversation to have about why the Democrats have lost elections than just blaming a foreign villain and saying it’s because Vladimir Putin ran some fake Facebook ads and did some phishing emails. And I think that until we put this in perspective, about what Russia did in 2016 and the reality that the U.S. does that sort of thing all the time to Russia and so many other countries, we’re going to just not have the conversation that we need to be having about what these international institutions, that are so sacred — NATO and free trade and international trade organizations — have done to people all over the world, and the reason they’re turning to demagogues and right-wing extremists because of what these institutions have done to them. That’s the conversation we need to be having, but we’re not having, because we’re evading it by blaming everything on Vladimir Putin. And that, to me, is even more dangerous for our long-term prospects than this belligerence that’s in the air about how we ought to look at Moscow."

UN MAP, showing in red all the West Bank areas inaccessible to Palestinians, which has been around since 2009:

Widely available since 2009, this map shows Israel’s relentless theft and pulverization of Palestinian land.

(This is the map that MSNBC apologized for showing to its viewers):

CONTINUUM OF CARE (CASH)

Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care to Hold Special Board Meeting July 30, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30p.m.

Mendocino County Health & Human Services Agency

Healthy People, Healthy Communities

Anne Molgaard, Acting Director; Maya Stuart, M.A., HOMe Team

The Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (MCHSCoC) is holding a special board meeting July 30, 2018 to discuss three funding-related issues. The group plans to vote on:

1. Whether to approve the tools to be used by the Application Review Committee in assessing applications for Housing and Community Development (HCD) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding.

2. Whether to approve Application Review Committee recommendations on applications that were submitted in response to the Notice of Funding Availability for the Emergency Solutions Grant, which was released by the State Housing and Community Development Department.

3. Whether to approve the reallocation of Continuum of Care funds as suggested by the Public Housing Authority representative.

This meeting will be held in the conference room at the Mendocino County Community Development Commission building located at 1076 N. State. St., Ukiah. The Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care program is a collaboration of individuals and agencies committed to ending homelessness in our community. This group is instrumental in bringing federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding into the county to assist families and individuals experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, to gain access to stable housing. This group focuses on developing solutions to homelessness that also positively impact the larger community. Community members and agency staff interested in understanding some of the issues of homelessness in Mendocino County, and on working toward ending homelessness, are welcome to attend our public meetings.

For more information please contact Sienna Johnston, Veteran Justice Outreach Specialist, Ukiah VA Community Based Out Patient Clinic at (707) 468-7764 or email: Sienna.johnston@va.gov.

MCHSCoC Special Meeting Agenda 7-30-18

* * *

RE: COALITION PLANS TO END HOMELESSNESS IN MENDOCINO COUNTY

James Marmon reveals that the County's helping pros are ignoring the Marbut recommendations while ensuring homelessness:

Just as I figured, MCHSCoC completely ignored Marbut’s recommendations, their commitment looks nothing like Marbut’s strategic plan. Furthermore, they completely ignored the elephant sitting in the middle of the room, where is Plowshares? Plowshares is not a member of the coalition (a major stakeholder) and they are the biggest contributer to Ukiah’s homeless problem. Without their buy-in, homeless numbers will continue to maintain current levels or increase, no matter what else you do.

Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (MCHSCoC),

“The coalition committed to creating and implementing a plan that:

1. Addresses the root causes of homelessness;

2. Uses accurate data that is based on common definitions and language;

3. Emphasizes stakeholder and community education

4. Utilizes diverse approaches;

5. Incorporates case management and continuing support

6. and Minimizes negative community impacts.”

MARBUT RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommended Action Step – In Summary

Governance and County-wide Strategy Recommendations

1 – Need to Develop a Common Understanding of the Scope, Scale and Structure of the Problem, and Need to Use Common Nomenclature in Order to Improve Decision Making

2 – Gain “Buy-in and Agreement” for One Overarching Strategic Action Plan with Specific Action Steps by Most of the Community and Key Stakeholders

3 – Move from Tactical One-off Decision Making to Strategic Decision Making Based on Data

4 – Move from Agency-Centric to System-Centric Decision Making (Need More Collaboration and Less Silos)

5 – Reduce Duplication of Services While Increasing Agency Specialization

6 – Need to Operate at Maximum Capacity by Increasing Utilization of the Overall System

7 – Need to Fully Build-out and Then Robustly Utilize HMIS

8 – Encourage All Organizations and the General Public to Engage, Rather Than Enable Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

9 – Improve Strategic Coordination Between the County and Cities (Need More Collaboration and Less Silos)”

James Marmon MSW

Where’s Plowshare’s buy-in?

“Take me to your puppet.”

PURE MENDOCINO TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE

Saturday, August 25, 20185 - 10 p.m.

Dark Horse Ranch, Ukiah

Special Musical Guests: The Back Porch Project

This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County.

Individual tickets $135; table sponsorships starting at $1250.

Our vision? No one will face cancer alone!

Purchase tickets -http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CancerResourceCenter/23d3e0dbf0/c8bebd9577/bbe7fa8683 online or call 937-3833.

This year's menu and other information is available at the Pure Mendo website: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CancerResourceCenter/23d3e0dbf0/c8bebd9577/7d9462bbc2

puremendocino.org

CALIFORNIA IS PREPARING FOR EXTREME WEATHER. IT’S TIME TO PLANT SOME TREES.

The state expects drier dry years and wetter wet ones in the decades ahead. That means projects to restore river habitats now serve another purpose: battling the coming floods.

https://nyti.ms/2NQgLvy