 On November 9th, the BOS came to a unanimous decision to support the exploration of a compliant and sustainable Navigation Center with an emergency shelter and/or Pallet community with professional management, and come back to the BOS by February 2022 with identified sites, funding sources, lease vs. purchase options and program details. This marked a significant policy decision and an important step toward actually implementing the upcoming Homeless Strategic Plan.
Consideration of the HOSTESS program got the community talking and got us off our duff! The Board's direction was ultimately not to merely tweak HOSTESS because we have confirmation that the proposal jeopardizes state and federal funding. Rather, we will be starting from scratch with our staff and the CoC (Continuum of Care) leading the efforts. The Sheriff's department does have a seat on the CoC as do a range of nonprofits and community partners, and all their voices will be important in this coordinated effort! The point of working through the CoC is to make sure that all potential plans are coordinated and compliant with the upcoming Strategic Plan to ensure long-term sustainability.
SO WHAT IS A NAVIGATION CENTER?
Navigation Centers were first developed through a pilot program in 2015, and they are designed to solve some of the inherent challenges (like community impact) with a traditional shelter model. Here are some of the differences:
1) You can't just line up and walk in. Access is strictly granted through a Coordinated Entry system, and referrals to a Navigation Center are only accepted through local, specific referral sources.
2) Welcoming, Service Rich Environment with 24/7 Staffing and Security. The goal is to help people be successful in exiting homelessness without negatively impacting the larger community.
3) Time is limited. Navigation Centers are designed to be a quick and effective pathway to permanent, affordable housing.
Looking forward to making progress in this arena.
 It was a pleasure to welcome the 2021-22 Youth Commission to the Board of Supervisors on November 9th. This is a dedicated and talented group of young people, and we were so inspired by their questions, insights and commitment to our community! Join them for their project, Wellness Week, which starts November 29 and will focus on supporting the mental health of their fellow students.
Youth Commission Website
On November 16th, the Board approved a resolution declaring the opposition to vaccine mandates for school children and directed the CAO's office to draft a letter to Governor Newsom supporting the November 9, 2021 letter from the County Superintendents to the Governor.
I applaud EDCOE for taking a thoughtful approach and raising the collective voice of our school districts who represent our children and families. 15 separate school districts came together to collaborate on a unified message which advocates for maintaining and protecting medical, religious and personal exemptions with regard to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement and ensuring that guidelines regarding masking and safety guidelines be tailored to local conditions, not universal mandates.
As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I am happy to support the EDCOE's collective message as well as the voices of our parents and families with the hopes that El Dorado County's support lends additional weight with the Governor's office around this critical issue.
Letter from EDCOE
November 16th Agenda - Item Number 41
 On October 14th, we had a very productive Redistricting Workshop because of all of the great public feedback and engagement. Thank you! Then on November 16th, four revised maps came forward for final consideration and approval. The BOS approved EDH Community Draft Redistricting Alternative - Revised B with 2 small tweaks: 1) Pull the EDH Business Park back into District 1 and 2) Adjust the boundaries to pull Pleasant Valley into D2 and keep Rescue in D4. Many thanks to our excellent staff who walked our community through as productive process as possible this year.
 (Photo courtesy of the Mountain Democrat)
After 25 years of serving our community, Superior Court Judge Suzanne Kingsbury will be retiring from the bench. Judge Kingsbury was first elected to the bench in 1996, and she made history as the first woman to serve as a superior court judge in El Dorado County. In 1999, she became its first female presiding judge, and now she will be leaving as the longest-serving current presiding judge in the state of California, male or female.
Judge Kingsbury, we thank you for your dedicated and compassionate service to our County which leaves behind a lasting legacy, and we wish you all the best in this next chapter of your life!
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