[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6566839,"mediaKeyId","3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54","parentId",3201898,"title","Board roundup: supervisors approve range of routine and project items including undergrounding district and transit director salary","audioSeconds",901,"startMs",5693000,"endMs",6594000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54&start=5693&end=6594","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54/thumbnail_5693000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6566839/Tulare-County/California/Board-roundup-supervisors-approve-range-of-routine-and-project-items-including-undergrounding-district-and-transit-director-salary","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566839-1a8e0c0136a2a9671c648d3a1d75b3f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187827&Signature=BFfZ~DirNOF6589JhUHeF1Zl~lDZNrGCiQQ6dyRgZPZ1QPvH0GBsneLTQP6LkbU0JpKxyE4b0VfWpnJc05RHKn6YCglSDngW1Ymgi9NmenmJ8uJog281mLFw5hTAbaEpC9hR7T-oyPTrpJ9dJIh4vR4NrasVSkQskuJtaRQDaqtAF3XUvZiaKvJ-B7NlGnCiwof6xt1IdT2Rip542KovbEtVxU-KXNxcBlH76kSBNQHmoHsB-Gg2KJ1WM5yl76Z-0NXJZfOVCBT9UtsFHRbNvDmCW5cc0AzyMtxqfw1bj8QEPrpn~YN1CeTRyz~ShYBJomZyzCV2TcD9GMjHGlsSpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tulare County","date","2025-05-07T07:25:19Z","article","The Tulare County Board of Supervisors moved through a mix of routine and project items Tuesday afternoon, voting unanimously on several measures that the board described as necessary to advance infrastructure and county services.

Key votes at a glance

- Consent calendar (items 7'\u00012): Motion by Supervisor Eddie Valero, second by Supervisor Dennis Townsend; vote 5''0 — approved unanimously.

- Item 5 (Dairy/final GHG report for 2023): Motion by Supervisor Pete McCarrie, second by Supervisor Dennis Townsend; vote 5''0 — board accepted the 2024 final report and approved a CEQA exemption after a staff presentation and no public speakers.

- Item 6 (Formation of an underground utility district for the Spruce/Avenue 256 intersection, Exeter area): Motion by Supervisor Larry Makari, second by Supervisor Dennis Townsend; vote 5''0 — board approved forming the district to make credits available under Rule 20A and allow Southern California Edison to proceed with undergrounding poles to make way for signalization and turn lanes.

- Item 19 (Tulare County Regional Transit Agency executive director salary and benefits): Motion by Supervisor Amy Shuklian, second by Supervisor Dennis Townsend; vote 5''0 — board approved a $170,000 annual salary (with three months severance) retroactive to 05/04/2025, aligning county HR with the TCRTA board action.

- Item 20 (Award of construction contract for HHSA Tulare District Office remodel): Motion by Supervisor Dennis Townsend, second by Supervisor Eddie Valero; vote 5''0 — board denied a bid protest and awarded the $4,500,000 contract to Bridal E. Mitcham, Inc., the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.

- Item (East Orosi water system administrator amendment and term extension): Motion by Supervisor Eddie Valero, second by Supervisor Amy Shuklian; vote 5''0 — board approved an amendment to the agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board to extend the term (original start date corrected to 09/10/2020) and to align administration with the East Orosi consolidation project; county staff said rates currently cover operations and a future Proposition 218 may be used to achieve full cost recovery as construction and consolidation progress.

Other actions

- The board presented proclamations and recognitions (National Nurses Week; county service awards for long‑tenured employees), conducted public comment and a ceremonial introduction of the county''s newly appointed Public Health Officer, and received presentations on tourism and economic development programs.

How the board voted

Most roll calls reported in the meeting were unanimous (5''0). Where motions listed a mover and a second, those names were recorded in the official minutes and on the audio record.

Why this matters

Taken together these votes clear a path for local infrastructure projects (intersection improvements), agency staffing and compensation (TCRTA executive director), facility improvements (HHSA remodel) and ongoing water system consolidation work in East Orosi. The board emphasized that some items rely on state programs or outside contractors — for example, Rule 20A undergrounding credits are administered by the utility, and the East Orosi consolidation depends on construction and LAFCO conditions.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Supervisors Meeting - 05/06/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Tulare County supervisors on May 6 approved a slate of routine and project items: the consent calendar, acceptance of the dairy greenhouse‑gas report, formation of an undergrounding district at Spruce/Avenue 256, approval of a transit executive director salary, award of a remodel contract, and an amendment related to East Orosi water administration.","taxTitle","Tulare County, California","taxId",7749,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6566844,"Tulare County accepts final 2023 dairy greenhouse‑gas report, urges continued state incentives",904,3811000,4715000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54&start=3811&end=4715","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54/thumbnail_3811000.jpg","/articles/6566844/Tulare-County/California/Tulare-County-accepts-final-2023-dairy-greenhousegas-report-urges-continued-state-incentives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566844-c49e0613bfb72aa844bc82d5963f19d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187827&Signature=msJ8Au3O6vbYHzhKZWkG8Av3KLVkHWJ8Eoo8405zDWGptS79xYZCQBqB6Md8Ei1e40AgWSLV~iV~w2N7Mcn~52Wkkv51o-nw4lIPQodbuTIBStMrPEAJYBR5DB7iw57JwXTFND6GzX-A~6Zd6-66ZsRn42zAxP-7hyyy3Z37sXoHfye8hpsJ9zd7I4REN5-GoNEwmsSq16OsrdJiQWDsmmt2cz2JS3jd9v0tOSJ59Zi1zspJ4qZfqZSXps5V6B5ee~af9Z0BCbNCIkZf1K2cdhUZlvL40AAeqRoYd~N2MP4jaWoXgzoMoybP-pq4DO1GbcVD2aznRcZfwcVTTlSF~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tulare County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accepted the county''s final report on greenhouse‑gas (GHG) emissions from dairies and feedlots for 2023 and approved a CEQA exemption, after a presentation from county staff and a brief question from a supervisor.

The report, prepared by the Resource Management Agency (RMA) with consultant support, shows cumulative voluntary reductions since 2013 and a mix of projects including digesters, solar, and alternative manure‑management projects. Staff said those voluntary measures reduced emissions by about 857,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year by 2023 (about 82% of the county''s 2023 dairy cap target), and that additional projects that began after 2023 increase the estimate to roughly 97% of that goal.

Why it matters: The county''s dairy sector was a primary focus of a stipulated settlement tied to local regulations and the state''s SB 1383 short‑lived climate pollutant goals. County staff told the board that meeting California Air Resources Board (CARB) targets for 2030 will require another roughly 1 million metric tons of reductions and that state and federal incentives are critical to make additional digester and alternative manure‑management projects financially feasible.

Staff presentation and findings

Mike Washam, associate director at RMA, reviewed the report and its background. The county completed the 2024 final report to satisfy the settlement requirements tied to the dairy cap and to incorporate the state SB 1383 final report when available. Washam said CARB had not issued final SB 1383 dairy regulations as of April 2025 and that the settlement ended May 1, 2025.

Key findings in the staff presentation included:
- Estimated reductions to date (2013''2023) of roughly 1.885 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, which staff illustrated as roughly the equivalent of removing about 404,000 passenger vehicles from the road for a year.
- Inventory details: 50 operational digesters in 2023 (some later added or placed under construction), 14 alternative manure‑management projects, 80 solar PV projects and other measures.
- Financials: digester projects reported combined costs of about $233 million with roughly $78 million in CDFA funding and $155 million in matching funds; alternative manure projects reported about $24 million total cost with $16 million in CDFA funding and $7.5 million in matching funds.

Staff recommendations and next steps

County staff recommended the board accept the 2024 final report, continue monitoring voluntary measures, enforce permitted herd sizes and reporting requirements, track GHG reductions toward the SB 1383 2030 goal, and continue to advocate with CARB and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for continued incentive funding.

Questions and public comment

Supervisor Dennis Townsend asked whether incentive funding is guaranteed; Washam replied there is no guarantee and that incentives are subject to state budget and policy changes. No members of the public spoke during the hearing.

Board action

Supervisor Pete McCarrie made the motion to accept the report and the CEQA exemption; Supervisor Townsend seconded. The board voted 5''0 in favor; the motion carried and the public hearing was closed.

Ending

County staff said they will continue reporting annually and maintaining the county''s dairy mitigation webpages, and will continue coordinating with state agencies about funding and regulatory developments.

","After a public hearing, the Board of Supervisors accepted the county''s 2024 final report summarizing 2023 greenhouse‑gas emissions from dairies and feedlots, noting voluntary reductions achieved and calling for continued state and federal incentive funding to reach longer‑term SB 1383 targets.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6566830,"Tulare County touts tourism growth, launches \"Taco Trail\" mobile campaign and declares National Travel and Tourism Week",1059,6629000,7688000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54&start=6629&end=7688","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54/thumbnail_6629000.jpg","/articles/6566830/Tulare-County/California/Tulare-County-touts-tourism-growth-launches-Taco-Trail-mobile-campaign-and-declares-National-Travel-and-Tourism-Week","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566830-509f195eea85ce5cc52f315b59102ec4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187827&Signature=eXUC7BvDmm-BBUL-NSw58yFPL24xy63UdsutN7OAz2gO4IwzbRjwWNLoc5bFi2RFwRqagr-y~zc-2V7WXcLFqEaPYz4YzkggMfRtimEZAaywgs9MikFvJGrYZH6jbDU8Oim0Ma6YjG3gU2Y12mi8QniR3ZUmCQhn4pmEldvrRJvKR9UE8EPTQKbxLaOupTDXps98kRZdn9thoBCUbN5RxpNr-QyATAyOiNrmTp7b1-UfzcHBmZwACllsuE-3H~Rwpx6sVcRvHUlESTOO0VvLmhfqRtuJjmBQ1n0yj2e5e8c28qYlri6Rf1mL7NHtcKlOOhlJyeR7QVY5muIGL05yCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tulare County''s Resource Management Agency and economic development staff presented updated tourism figures on Tuesday, highlighted collaboration with cities and regional partners, and launched a county mobile app campaign called the \"Taco Trail.\" The board then adopted a proclamation recognizing National Travel and Tourism Week, May 4'\u001010, 2025.

What the numbers show

RMA staff presented California Tourism data and county‑level estimates for 2024 (presented in May 2025). The county''s reported figures showed stronger percentage growth in several categories compared with statewide averages:
- Travel‑related spending in Tulare County rose to about $626.2 million in 2024, a 5.4% increase (statewide growth roughly 3%).
- Travel‑generated employment in the county increased by about 260 jobs to roughly 6,350 (a 4.2% increase, higher than the state rate).
- County travel‑related tax receipts rose to about $56.2 million in 2024, a 5.3% increase.
- Accommodation spending in the county grew about 11% to $166 million; food service spending rose 6.7% to about $145 million.

Staff noted that most visitor spending to the county comes from within California and that 60% of park visitors originate in Southern California. RMA said statewide forecasts expect modest tourism declines in some markets, but Tulare County''s recent growth exceeded statewide averages in 2024.

Taco Trail and mobile app

Economic development staff relaunched a Discover Tulare County mobile application and introduced a promotional campaign called the Taco Trail. The county solicited public nominations early this year and selected about 25 taco stops countywide. Visitors who download the app and \"check in\" at participating locations will be entered into weekly drawings, with larger prize backpacks to be awarded in July. RMA staff distributed promotional kits and encouraged board members to serve as local ambassadors for the campaign.

Proclamation

Supervisor Larry Makari read and the board adopted a proclamation recognizing National Travel and Tourism Week in Tulare County, citing tourism''s contribution to jobs, tax receipts and local businesses. Supervisors emphasized that collaboration among county staff, cities, chambers and regional partners supports the county''s tourism and economic development goals.

Ending

Staff asked supervisors to download the app and to participate in upcoming promotional events; they said the campaign and application are intended to increase visitor stays and highlight county businesses and cultural assets.

","County RMA presented updated 2024 tourism figures showing growth outpacing the state in several categories, launched a Discover Tulare County mobile app campaign (\"Taco Trail\") and proclaimed May 4'\u001010, 2025 as National Travel and Tourism Week in Tulare County.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6566835,"Tulare County introduces new public health officer, Dr. Asma Tarik",176,3437000,3613000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54&start=3437&end=3613","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3201898-fdccc017f2e1e7bd2af561993d110f54/thumbnail_3437000.jpg","/articles/6566835/Tulare-County/California/Tulare-County-introduces-new-public-health-officer-Dr-Asma-Tarik","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566835-d68e1a237350d67bc803cb2ac5292ef6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187827&Signature=ApV0qJLfuJiqjLOVZsw1d0ebyGqXNd19kma5ZNiqHUtTWLLcbAbMYhHixSViDb98xeIRO2-~AlWYsCWGp9LYEn5snJDsMb5jcni39ImkK6Qtsfhr93v7CKFx57k~HBdDF5GbGFVXl89K9faSomoeQ4FDh-JyHDsNGfLU9rJhe~8jZ9pAiLubd64rCzZESi5pQQCxnI5tzGwAnG6QZuQ4p~1-3k22zGTGWmx8nw5NTb1Z4EQsXm72SySyL0qy0P0Sj8ckCtu3~pPbbOMZ6P1N1zrp3O2pVHXBw2rK4xexbYFXevLIgq0SLLf4IQ4S99jDB73QGr8OIEz3QtYHdlsHIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency officials introduced Dr. Asma Tarik on Tuesday as the county''s newly appointed public health officer.

Karen Elliott, Tulare County public health director, told the Board of Supervisors Dr. Tarik is a local resident who came to the area 12 years ago as a physician in training and later served as core faculty in the residency program. Elliott said Dr. Tarik has provided inpatient and outpatient care across local clinics and hospitals and ‘‘has a passion for upstream prevention’’ including outreach for underserved patients.

Dr. Tarik spoke briefly to the board and the public in the meeting chamber, saying, \"It is a tremendous honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve as health officer of Tulare County, a county that welcomed me when I came here 12 years ago as a physician in training,\" and that she looks forward to working to \"protect, improve, and strengthen the health of our community, especially the vulnerable and the underserved.\"

Why it matters

The public introduction follows the county''s process for staffing public health leadership. County officials said Dr. Tarik brings local clinical experience and connections with regional medical institutions, which staff said will support prevention, community partnerships, and public‑health programs including maternal and child health initiatives.

Board response and next steps

Supervisors offered congratulations and took a photo with Dr. Tarik and HHSA staff following the introduction. County staff said Dr. Tarik will work with HHSA leadership, hospital partners and community clinics on priorities including preventive care and outreach to populations with limited access to services.

Ending

Dr. Tarik thanked the board and community and said she is committed to public service in Tulare County.

","The county''s Health and Human Services Agency introduced Dr. Asma Tarik as Tulare County''s newly appointed public health officer; department leaders highlighted her local residency, clinical experience in the region, and focus on upstream prevention.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board roundup: supervisors approve range of routine and project items including undergrounding district and transit director salary

Tulare County accepts final 2023 dairy greenhouse‑gas report, urges continued state incentives

Tulare County touts tourism growth, launches "Taco Trail" mobile campaign and declares National Travel and Tourism Week

Tulare County introduces new public health officer, Dr. Asma Tarik