HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.16.20 Email from Louie Mendoza - Board Meetings related to COVID-19_industrial hemp
From:Mendoza, Louie
To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra;
McCracken, Shari;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug
Subject:RE: Board Meetings related to COVID-19/industrial hemp - revised email
Date:Monday, March 16, 2020 3:46:08 PM
Please disregard previous email. This email clarifies that we are not requesting feedback and
that this is an informational item only.
Honorable Board of Supervisors:
We have been working with County Counsel staff on a finalized draft of an industrial hemp
cultivation ordinance for your consideration. We originally anticipated bringing forward the
first reading of the ordinance at your board meeting of April 14th, 2020; however in light of
the COVID-19 and prioritization of agenda items for your meetings, I suggest your board
consider that we keep the hemp cultivation program status quo for this year and bring back
the ordinance in the fall for the following reasons:
1. COVID -19 priorities for the BOS (essential items for county operation)
2. The Federal interim rules for hemp cultivation are yet to be finalized
3. The California Department of Food and Agriculture regulations are to be finalized in May
to address and adhere to the federal standards (at this time, we are not sure what impact the
regulations could/may have on our ordinance).
4. The planting window for growers is coming soon and the ordinance could have an impact
on scheduled grower field work and planting
5. Allows the agriculture department to get one more year of industrial hemp cultivation
practices and evaluate options future ordinance recommendations (if any).
I have discussed with Shari McCracken, who concurs with the status quo program for this year
given the limitations we must put on Board Meetings for the foreseeable future.
This email is for informational purposes only
Louie B. Mendoza Jr.
Agricultural Commissioner
Director of Weights & Measures
Butte County Department of Agriculture
316 Nelson Avenue
Oroville CA. 95965
530.552.4100 Phone
(530) 538-7594 Fax
LMendoza@buttecounty.net
_____________________________________________
From: McCracken, Shari <SMcCracken@buttecounty.net>
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 1:33 PM
To: Dept Heads <DeptHeads@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Asst Dept Heads <AsstDeptHeads@buttecounty.net>
Subject: FW: Board Meetings related to COVID-19
All,
Please see below for changes to Board Meetings and limiting of agenda items for at least the
next two Board Meetings, in response to State guidance. If you are unsure if an agenda item
meets the limitations for the next two Board Meetings, please ask your liaison.
Thanks,
Shari
Shari McCracken
Chief Administrative Officer
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T:530.552.3305 M: 530.990.5029
***Please note this is a new phone number and update your records accordingly***
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Twitter
_____________________________________________
From: McCracken, Shari
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 1:30 PM
To: BOS <BOS@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Ring, Brian <bring@buttecounty.net>; Kim, Sang <skim@buttecounty.net>; Jessee,
Meegan <Mjessee@buttecounty.net>; Pickett, Andy <APickett@buttecounty.net>; Hatcher,
Casey <CHatcher@buttecounty.net>; Taggart, Kevin <ktaggart@buttecounty.net>; York,
Danette <dyork@buttecounty.net>; Miller, Andrew <AMiller@buttecounty.net>; Alpert, Bruce
<BAlpert@buttecounty.net>; Stephens, Brad J. <BStephens@buttecounty.net>; McAfee-
Bowersox, Miranda <MMcAfee-Bowersox@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Board Meetings related to COVID-19
Board Members,
Based on new guidance from the California Department of Public Health (see attached), CDC
guidance, and the Governors Executive Order issued yesterday, and under the authority that I
have under County Code Chapter 2, and the Chair and I have under Chapter 8 with a local
thth
emergency declaration, I am making certain changes to the March 24 and April 14 Board
Meetings, after consultation with the Chair and County Counsel. The purpose of the changes,
as stated by the California Department of Public Health and the CDC, is to protect public
health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, using methods that have proven
effective in prior pandemics. The changes are as follows:
thth
For the March 24 and April 14 Board Meetings, the only agenda items that will
be included are items essential to operations of the County (such as contracts and budget
adjustments); items necessary to meet statutory timelines; items in support of emergency
response and recovery, such as Camp Fire Recovery and COVID-19 response; and some
ceremonial resolutions, though we will let recipients know they do not need to attend to
receive the resolution. We will hold off on controversial items, lengthy policy discussions, or
information only items that don’t meet the above categories until such time we can
accommodate public attendance, either in-person or remotely.
We will be taping off every two seats in the public section of the Board Chambers
to allow for some social distancing, though people can make their own choice if they want to
sit directly next to someone and choose to remove the tape.
Only essential staff will attend Board Meetings in-person.
We will communicate these changes to the public using various methods, including
press releases, social media, notices on our website, etc., and will encourage the public to
submit comments via e-comments or e-mail instead of in-person. I ask Board Members to
thoroughly read all written comments that are submitted.
I have asked staff to identify a location for remote public viewing and participation in Board
Meetings, per the Governor’s Executive Order and waiver of certain Brown Act requirements.
Staff are also looking at technological tools that will allow the public to provide verbal
comment during Board Meetings from a remote location. Our goal is to have the option in
th
place by the April 28 Board Meeting, absent changing circumstances with this event. As I
stated in previous e-mails, this is a very fluid event and the County will abide by the local
Health Officer’s, State, and federal guidance and orders as new ones are issued.
Given the changes, you can anticipate shorter open session portions of Board Meetings for at
least the next two meetings. Please give me a call if you have questions on any of these
actions.
Take care,
Shari
<< File: Ca Dept PH - 3.13.20 guidance on gatherings - COVID-19.pdf >>
Shari McCracken
Chief Administrative Officer
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T:530.552.3305 M: 530.990.5029
***Please note this is a new phone number and update your records accordingly***
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Twitter
From:Mendoza, Louie
To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra;
McCracken, Shari;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug
Subject:FW: Board Meetings related to COVID-19/industrial hemp
Date:Monday, March 16, 2020 1:55:25 PM
Attachments:Ca Dept PH - 3.13.20 guidance on gatherings - COVID-19.pdf
Honorable Board of Supervisors:
We have been working with County Counselstaff on a finalizeddraftof anindustrial hemp
cultivation ordinance foryour consideration. Weoriginallyanticipated bringing forward the
th
first readingof the ordinanceat your boardmeeting ofApril 14, 2020; however in light of
the COVID-19 and prioritization of agenda items for your meetings,I suggestyour board
considerthat we keep the hemp cultivation program status quo for this yearand bring back
the ordinance in the fallfor the following reasons:
1. COVID -19 prioritiesfor the BOS (essential items for county operation)
2. The Federal interim rules for hemp cultivation are yet to befinalized
3. The California Department of Food and Agriculture regulations are to befinalized in May
to address and adhere to the federal standards(at this time, we arenot sure what impactthe
regulations could/may have on our ordinance).
4. The planting window for growers is coming soon and the ordinance could have an impact
on scheduled grower field work and planting
5. Allows the agriculturedepartmentto get one more year ofindustrialhemp cultivation
practices andevaluate optionsfuture ordinancerecommendations (if any).
I have contacted Shari M whohas concurredwith the status quo program for this year.
Please let me know if you feelotherwise.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Louie B. Mendoza Jr.
Agricultural Commissioner
Director of Weights & Measures
Butte County Department of Agriculture
316 Nelson Avenue
Oroville CA. 95965
530.552.4100 Phone
(530) 538-7594 Fax
LMendoza@buttecounty.net
_____________________________________________
From: McCracken, Shari <SMcCracken@buttecounty.net>
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 1:33 PM
To: Dept Heads <DeptHeads@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Asst Dept Heads <AsstDeptHeads@buttecounty.net>
Subject: FW: Board Meetings related to COVID-19
All,
Please see below for changes to Board Meetings and limiting of agenda items for at least the
next two Board Meetings, in response to State guidance. If you are unsure if an agenda item
meets the limitations for the next two Board Meetings, please ask your liaison.
Thanks,
Shari
Shari McCracken
Chief Administrative Officer
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T:530.552.3305 M: 530.990.5029
***Please note this is a new phone number and update your records accordingly***
|Facebook |YouTube |Pinterest
Twitter
_____________________________________________
From: McCracken, Shari
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 1:30 PM
To: BOS <BOS@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Ring, Brian <bring@buttecounty.net>; Kim, Sang <skim@buttecounty.net>; Jessee,
Meegan <Mjessee@buttecounty.net>; Pickett, Andy <APickett@buttecounty.net>; Hatcher,
Casey <CHatcher@buttecounty.net>; Taggart, Kevin <ktaggart@buttecounty.net>; York,
Danette <dyork@buttecounty.net>; Miller, Andrew <AMiller@buttecounty.net>; Alpert, Bruce
<BAlpert@buttecounty.net>; Stephens, Brad J. <BStephens@buttecounty.net>; McAfee-
Bowersox, Miranda <MMcAfee-Bowersox@buttecounty.net>
Subject: Board Meetings related to COVID-19
Board Members,
Based on new guidance from the California Department of Public Health (see attached), CDC
guidance, and the Governors Executive Order issued yesterday, and under the authority that I
have under County Code Chapter 2, and the Chair and I have under Chapter 8 with a local
thth
emergency declaration, I am making certain changes to the March 24 and April 14 Board
Meetings, after consultation with the Chair and County Counsel. The purpose of the changes,
as stated by the California Department of Public Health and the CDC, is to protect public
health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, using methods that have proven
effective in prior pandemics. The changes are as follows:
thth
For the March 24 and April 14 Board Meetings, the only agenda items that will
be included are items essential to operations of the County (such as contracts and budget
adjustments); items necessary to meet statutory timelines; items in support of emergency
response and recovery, such as Camp Fire Recovery and COVID-19 response; and some
ceremonial resolutions, though we will let recipients know they do not need to attend to
receive the resolution. We will hold off on controversial items, lengthy policy discussions, or
information only items that don’t meet the above categories until such time we can
accommodate public attendance, either in-person or remotely.
We will be taping off every two seats in the public section of the Board Chambers
to allow for some social distancing, though people can make their own choice if they want to
sit directly next to someone and choose to remove the tape.
Only essential staff will attend Board Meetings in-person.
We will communicate these changes to the public using various methods, including
press releases, social media, notices on our website, etc., and will encourage the public to
submit comments via e-comments or e-mail instead of in-person. I ask Board Members to
thoroughly read all written comments that are submitted.
I have asked staff to identify a location for remote public viewing and participation in Board
Meetings, per the Governor’s Executive Order and waiver of certain Brown Act requirements.
Staff are also looking at technological tools that will allow the public to provide verbal
comment during Board Meetings from a remote location. Our goal is to have the option in
th
place by the April 28 Board Meeting, absent changing circumstances with this event. As I
stated in previous e-mails, this is a very fluid event and the County will abide by the local
Health Officer’s, State, and federal guidance and orders as new ones are issued.
Given the changes, you can anticipate shorter open session portions of Board Meetings for at
least the next two meetings. Please give me a call if you have questions on any of these
actions.
Take care,
Shari
Shari McCracken
Chief Administrative Officer
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T:530.552.3305 M: 530.990.5029
***Please note this is a new phone number and update your records accordingly***
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