2:00 P.M. - Called to Order

The meeting was called to order by Chair Supervisor Wendy Root Askew.

Roll Called

Present: 5 - Supervisor Wendy Root Askew and Supervisor Luis A. Alejo appeared in person with

Supervisor Chris Lopez, Supervisor John M. Phillips and Supervisor Mary L. Adams who

appeared via video conference

Staff Present

Charles McKee, County Administrative Officer, Les Girard, County Counsel and Valerie Ralph,

Clerk of the Board appeared in person.

Announcement of Interpreter

Diego Celis, Spanish Interpreter present and announced Spanish interpreter services.

Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance to be led by the Hartnell Women's Soccer League.

Additions and Corrections by Clerk

There were no additions and corrections for the agenda.

Ceremonial Resolutions

Open for public comments; no public comments made.

A motion was made by Supervisor Luis A. Alejo, seconded by Supervisor Mary L. Adams to adopt

Ceremonial Resolutions 1 and 2.

Roll call vote taken pursuant to Government Code 54953:

Supervisor Alejo: AYE

Supervisor Phillips: AYE

Supervisor Lopez: AYE

Supervisor Adams: AYE

Chair Supervisor Root Askew: AYE

Adopt a resolution Declaring December 14, 2021, as Hartnell Women’s Soccer Team State

Championship Day in Monterey County. (Supervisor Alejo)

Adopted Resolution No. 21-425

Adopt a resolution honoring Labor Leader Sergio Rangel of UNITE HERE Local 483 for his lifetime

of service and his retirement. (Supervisor Alejo)

Adopted Resolution No. 21-426

Appointments

Open for public comments; no public comments made.

A motion was made by Supervisor Luis A. Alejo, seconded by Supervisor Chris Lopez to appoint

Item Number 3 and 4.

Roll call vote taken pursuant to Government Code 54953:

Supervisor Alejo: AYE

Supervisor Phillips: AYE

Supervisor Lopez: AYE

Supervisor Adams: AYE

Chair Supervisor Root Askew: AYE

Reappoint Juan Morales to the In-Home Support Services Advisory Committee, with a term ending

date of June 30, 2024. (Nominated by In-Home Support Services Advisory Committee)

Reappointed

Reappoint Richard Kuehn to the In-Home Support Services Advisory Council, with a term ending date

of June 30, 2024. (Nominated by In-Home Support Services Advisory Council)

Reappointed

Item No. 7 taken out of order

County Administrative Officer Comments and New Referrals

Charles McKee, County Administrative Officer from the County Administrative office commented

and shared there are two new referrals this week:

Referral No. 2021.30 from Supervisor Wendy Root Askew:

Referral Title: School Vaccination Coordination

Referral Purpose: Direct the Monterey County Health Department to partner with the K12 school

system to increase the rate of vaccinations amongst pediatric residents aged 5 to 11 years old in

disproportionately impacted communities.

Referral No. 2021.31 from Supervisor Luis A. Alejo:

Referral Title: Housing Authority of Monterey County Reorganization and New Governance

Structure

Referral Purpose: To reorganize and consolidate the Housing Authority of Monterey County and

its subsidiary, the Housing Development Corporation, under one Executive Director, and have the

Monterey County Board of Supervisors serve at its new governing board to oversee its operations

and implement needed reforms.

A motion was made by Supervisor Luis A. Alejo, seconded by Chris Lopez to:

Have a Joint Special Meeting next week on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 with the Housing

Authority and the Board of Supervisors; and

Charles McKee, County Administrative Officer recommended that the Housing Authority makes no

sudden changes until an in depth look can occur and a special meeting can be held.

Open for public comments; Jay Donato and Martha Rodriguez, in person, commented.

County Administrative Officer comments/referrals can be heard by clicking the following link:

http://monterey.granicus.com/EditFile.php?clip_id=4404

2:00 P.M. - Scheduled Matters

a. Consider options to amend the commercial cannabis tax structure, rates, and penalties and interest

for delinquent tax accounts; and

b. Consider directing the Cannabis Program to amend Monterey County Code Chapter 7.100; and

c. Provide further direction as appropriate.

Joann Iwamoto, Cannabis Program Manager, in person, presented via PowerPoint presentation.

Open for public comments; Aaron Johnson, Robert Roach, Christina DiPaci, Joey Espinoza, Oliver

Bates, Juke (no last name provided), Michelle Hackett, Kelly McMillin, Chris Boggs, Jennifer

Rosenthal, Joey (no last name provided), Ricardo Diaz, Jr. and Michael Ferguson, all via Zoom,

commented.

Supervisor Mary L. Adams made a motion; however, there was no second to the motion.

A substitute motion was made by Supervisor Luis A. Alejo, seconded by Supervisor Chris Lopez

to:

a. Consider options to amend the commercial cannabis tax structure, rates, and penalties and

interest for delinquent tax accounts; and

b. Consider directing the Cannabis Program to amend Monterey County Code Chapter 7.100; and

c. Directed staff to return in January with a proposed amendment to the ordinance reducing the

annual taxes on indoor cultivation to $7/square foot, on outdoor cultivation to $1/square foot, on

mixed light cultivation to $3/square foot, and on distribution to 0% gross receipts. Also, for

cultivation only, a stay on delinquent Q3 penalties so long as the unpaid amount is paid in full by

the end of Q4 (otherwise, the full amount, with penalties, becomes due) and eliminate the

escalator (automatic yearly increases of the rate). The Board specified that there should be a

“trigger,” such that when/if the mixed light wholesale price reaches $800/pound based on CCA

data, staff would be directed to return to the Board to again review tax rates, or if the Cannabis

Program recommended the Board to review tax rates earlier. Finally, the Board directed staff to

draft a letter to the State requesting an adjustment of 2/3rds reduction in taxes for the Chair to

sign.

Roll call vote taken pursuant to Government Code 54953:

Supervisor Alejo: AYE

Supervisor Phillips: AYE

Supervisor Lopez: AYE

Supervisor Adams: AYE

Chair Supervisor Root Askew: AYE

a. Adopt a resolution setting forth the 2021 County of Monterey Supervisorial District Boundaries;

and,

b. Authorize and Direct the County Administrative Officer, County Counsel and the Registrar of

Voters, to take such other and further actions as may be necessary or appropriate to implement the

intent and purposes of this resolution.

Rosemary Soto, Management Analyst III from the County Administrative Office and Shelley

Lapkoff, Demographer, both via Zoom, presented via PowerPoint presentation.

Open for public comments; Mary Kay, Ernesto (no last name provided), Steve Tansey, and Karla

Lobo, via Zoom, with Steve McDougal, in person, commented.

A motion was made by Supervisor Wendy Root Askew, seconded by Supervisor Chris Lopez with

Supervisor John M. Phillips, voting no to:

a. Adopt Resolution No. 21-431 setting forth the 2021 County of Monterey Supervisorial District

Boundaries; and,

b. Authorize and Direct the County Administrative Officer, County Counsel and the Registrar of

Voters, to take such other and further actions as may be necessary or appropriate to implement

the intent and purposes of this resolution.

Motion carried 4 to 1

Roll call vote taken pursuant to Government Code 54953:

Supervisor Alejo: AYE

Supervisor Phillips: NAY

Supervisor Lopez: AYE

Supervisor Adams: AYE

Chair Supervisor Root Askew: AYE

Other Board Matters

Referral Responses

Consider a response by the Clerk of the Board Supervisors’ office to Board Referral No. 2020.27

seeking the need for simultaneous Spanish interpreter services for live Zoom Board of Supervisor’s

meetings and Spanish translation services of the recorded minutes of Board of Supervisors meetings.

Valerie Ralph, Clerk of the Board, in person, presented via PowerPoint presentation.

Open for public comments; Cesar Lara, via Zoom, commented.

A motion was made by Supervisor Chris Lopez, seconded by Supervisor Luis A. Alejo, to have a:

Comprehensive – Interpreter(s) (certified) for live meetings/ Translation certified for minutes;

Have Interpreter(s) (certified) for live meetings /Translation of minutes through Google translation

which is a free service; and

Implement another pilot program for three months; during the pilot program, measure the

number of requests for a Spanish-speaking interpreter, requests for translation of minutes,

attendance at public meetings in the Spanish channel, and report back to the Board of

Supervisors for further consideration.

Roll call vote taken pursuant to Government Code 54953:

Supervisor Alejo: AYE

Supervisor Phillips: AYE

Supervisor Lopez: AYE

Supervisor Adams: AYE

Chair Supervisor Root Askew: AYE

Adjourned

The meeting was adjourned in Memory of Herme Medina at 5:24 p.m. by Supervisor Wendy Root

Askew.

There is no read out of Closed Session, at this time, from last week's session.