[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6472840,"mediaKeyId","5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e","parentId",5774422,"title","Speaker urges ongoing COLAs for SEIU 521 county employees, cites recruitment and inflation concerns","audioSeconds",144,"startMs",1865135,"endMs",2009360,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e&start=1865&end=2009","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e/thumbnail_1865135.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6472840/Kern-County/California/Speaker-urges-ongoing-COLAs-for-SEIU-521-county-employees-cites-recruitment-and-inflation-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472840-a5935bba09ea30989231f03c30e83f14/orig.mp4?Expires=1775649657&Signature=FrUkMWeKEgqexli4CqK-C34f~4lKcEmnTKntcWh~tlcOCrbHjIEC4gblQoXnSYEoC2PDZ-2Qb7ezvWBukihgvnkf-LjWH89EwNOrSyPAQvtCqjvWQffGjQHwy3xYpitCOW3cykEORocuDFEjC63iCdP4oUDpgjpmjCPywW4VfgRx4rVptvEYMVz74s~z8O8RasbJcPT1waUM0vnDDWJeHTfgVU4xnKHDOuBXK6kqwbSCObHbV21qqeP5RFL2mMxw5ww5eAoZAkY6WrH~I5Dvt7F9Hl2vl3Xnj8omAeE3cR7oTzZGbZkY852PE3qs5fvgTL0a~O65cBMehSH66mKTRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Official Kern County","date","2025-09-12T12:32:50Z","article","Karen Bissard addressed the Kern County Board of Supervisors during the public-comment portion of the Sept. 9 meeting and asked the board to provide ongoing cost-of-living adjustments for employees represented by SEIU Local 521. Bissard said continued COLAs would help with recruitment and retention problems and reduce future disparities that previously required large one-time adjustments for certain classifications.

Bissard outlined figures she said reflect salary trends for represented employees: she said that since Feb. 2008 she has received a cumulative 19% salary increase, which averages to about 1.12% per year over 17 years. She said social workers received a roughly 20% increase in 2021–22, while some entry-level positions saw a roughly 33.5% increase during a more recent period tied to minimum-wage changes. Bissard said the California Consumer Price Index rose between about 7.4% and 11.2% from 2021 to 2025 and repeated a grand-jury finding that social-worker pay remains low and is difficult to recruit for.

Bissard asked the board to “offer ongoing COLAs to SEIU 521 representative employees just to help keep up with inflation and impacts based on COLAs so the above does not happen again.” Her remarks were part of the public-comment record; the board made no immediate action or vote on wages at the Sept. 9 meeting.

No county action was taken during the meeting in response to Bissard’s request; board members and staff acknowledged the comment as part of public presentations. The matter would require inclusion on a future agenda for formal consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kern County Board of Supervisors 2:00 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, September 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During public comment at the Sept. 9 Kern County supervisors meeting, Karen Bissard urged the board to provide ongoing cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for SEIU 521-represented workers, citing slow historical wage growth for some classifications and a grand-jury finding that social-worker pay remains low.","taxTitle","Kern County, California","taxId",2913,"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},6472845,"Board refers jail-capacity, 'frequent flyers' discussion to public-safety committee after public plea and sheriff report",442,1660370,2102720,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e&start=1660&end=2102","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e/thumbnail_1660370.jpg","/articles/6472845/Kern-County/California/Board-refers-jail-capacity-frequent-flyers-discussion-to-public-safety-committee-after-public-plea-and-sheriff-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472845-cc7f4ae13606d67311ab9b17b19f07da/orig.mp4?Expires=1775649657&Signature=m6Xw9qRAjuujBKpLk9uVAX1taDZAE-yeH~iXW9-rN3iGsleGCHh4YCJ3GhzicFXIdSHsNKQ~aWJXgUOn0ddNmz3~sNj9g6~MLqLK-nwDdFH129ublkrsypLZdhywRvGsbPjOkAokvybuiW6SZQoCpasxu5U2o8tediNwzUTeSKwTnUUl1aD-uLSrsOVrsiDjZB1mRcNKiRoDJAM9ZE3d~VPnI-~l8q2yq7bLnEqBvDUCwcbZIX~~hA67xoYOX31jfgq1t~uHyr2a1SHJoaNleUGs8H7iKD9uRtq6~vP1fhoPBvImu3~eugwqiGaDiu5wzz5l4El~294VOZ5BvO3a5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the public and county law-enforcement officials used the Kern County Board of Supervisors' Sept. 9 meeting to press the board on jail capacity and recurring arrests of the same individuals. The board unanimously approved a referral to its public-safety committee to create a forum for periodic discussion among city managers, police chiefs and county officials.

Bob Smith, who identified himself as having served 13 years on the city council, told the board that local law enforcement is arresting repeat offenders who are released quickly. “We have become a catch and release law enforcement county,” Smith said. He urged the board to find available jail beds in other counties or facilities so local deputies can hold people accountable.

Sheriff Hamblett followed public comment with a detailed update on jail operations and county constraints. He said the county currently holds about 1,750 inmates and that approximately 113 inmates are destined for state prison but remain in county custody because the state has not yet transferred them. “They take a certain number from each county. That number has not fluctuated a lot, stays right around 113,” Hamblett said.

Hamblett described effects from state realignment and said the county now has roughly 60 inmates serving more than one year in county jail; he added there are examples of much longer stays in individual cases. He also outlined staffing challenges: the county has hired roughly 400 people in recent years but remains short of the ranks needed to operate all facilities and planned units. The sheriff said the department has opened a mental-health unit and is working with Disability Rights California (DRC) on compliance matters; he said he expects progress by early next year that could avoid a stipulated agreement and monetary damages to the county.

The sheriff also said deputies and investigators have made large narcotics seizures, including one he described as 672 pounds of finished methamphetamine recovered in North Edwards, and he credited reinstated gang and narcotics units for recent enforcement results.

Supervisor David Couch proposed referring the issue to the county's public-safety committee so city officials, police chiefs and county staff can meet periodically to coordinate on “frequent flyers” and related concerns. Couch said the forum need not be weekly but should occur regularly — every three or six months — to improve communication.

Board members discussed logistics and membership of the committee and agreed to return with details on scheduling and participants. The board then voted to approve the referral; the clerk announced the motion carried, “All ayes.”

The referral does not itself change custody policy or create new capacity; it directs the committee to convene stakeholders and report back with options and coordinated approaches to address jail capacity, transfers to state custody and frequent repeat offenders.","Following public comment calling for more jail beds and accountability, Kern County supervisors heard details from Sheriff Hamblett about jail population pressures, state transfer delays and a mental health unit. Supervisors voted unanimously to refer the matter to the county's public-safety committee for regular intergovernmental discussion.",{"_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},6472850,"Supervisors approve consent calendar including interim CDBG-backed septic relief; Peters votes no, requests funding breakdown",355,1283715,1639510,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e&start=1283&end=1639","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774422-f0d300b7924ae784d02c7c6a465d5c6e/thumbnail_1283715.jpg","/articles/6472850/Kern-County/California/Supervisors-approve-consent-calendar-including-interim-CDBG-backed-septic-relief-Peters-votes-no-requests-funding-breakdown","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472850-4020224c55ad461849affb4cd39b8125/orig.mp4?Expires=1775649657&Signature=geQUKE8uW-zreTkAb9MroxCWUNrw8aQYjqe-8llYBN5RbvfEkv8v5CNNQvZms-3tdm0j0GwhHQFNLrI--id44fnxMDZdfOuRlveejDMHqOCKizzivwB2p9Z9PYjvcR9TkCTbo3Tf526VncyDuyYGCAjtLWCqbIJTiWv-8Rx3pP7D0~NpmMI7rEVMvmmIFcDSBygbwR7DqKqTMa7pd7et4c39-jAfUw62y3KzOTW~RSw6UEON1BLz5MawLt6x0lb4ikq06gttYrR3Lt5HiazAqt3uYaNwNZoJUaKMhWujFaKVlcpi8FWicZ~7nAP9lS-VTWYKIV5l6ois8vlKL85FZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kern County Board of Supervisors voted to approve its consent calendar on Tuesday, Sept. 9, including an item authorizing interim relief efforts funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to address failing septic systems in parts of the county. The motion passed 4-1, with Supervisor David Peters recorded as the lone vote against the consent package.

The vote matters because the CDBG program is targeted to low- and moderate-income areas and county officials said the funding is being used to provide short-term relief while design and construction continue for permanent sewer infrastructure. Assistant County Administrative Officer Elsa Martinez told the board that CDBG funds are managed through the planning and community development department and that the grants have several categories, including block grants and housing-specific awards. Martinez also warned that federal CDBG allocations are uncertain and said the county monitors potential legislative changes at the federal level.

Supervisor Peters asked for more information before supporting the item. “I actually had a question on item number 11. I wanted to see if we had any additional information on...how that CDBG funding gets distributed,” Peters said during the consent discussion. Martinez replied that staff would prepare a comprehensive report with the planning department showing past allocations and how CDBG awards are distributed.

Public Works Director Joshua Champlin described the specific project tied to the consent item as an interim response to failing septic systems while the county completes design and construction of permanent sewer facilities. “This is our efforts to give them some relief while we finish up the design and construction of the permanent sewer out there,” Champlin said. He urged the board to act promptly so the interim relief could be provided quickly.

Martinez noted that the planning department typically works with individual supervisors to identify projects and that annual allocations are finalized after the federal budget is set; she said the county uses estimated allocations in its budget until federal figures arrive in October. Martinez also cited a recent local project that combined CDBG funding with donations and county general funds — a skate park referenced as an example of how multiple funding sources can be combined for local projects.

After discussion, the board moved and seconded the consent calendar and called for a vote. The clerk announced the motion carried, “4 ayes, 1 opposed, Supervisor Peters.” Board members also agreed staff would return with the requested historical allocation information and a more detailed explanation of how the CDBG funds for the septic project were being distributed.

The item will be followed up with a report from the planning and community development department and the Assistant CAO, as Martinez committed to providing the board a record of prior allocations and a breakdown of the funding categories that supported the approved interim work.","The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 9 approved its consent calendar including an item to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for interim relief where septic systems are failing. Supervisor Peters voted no and requested a follow-up report with allocation details and history of CDBG spending.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Speaker urges ongoing COLAs for SEIU 521 county employees, cites recruitment and inflation concerns

Board refers jail-capacity, 'frequent flyers' discussion to public-safety committee after public plea and sheriff report

Supervisors approve consent calendar including interim CDBG-backed septic relief; Peters votes no, requests funding breakdown