Board approves trail funding, airport contract correction, personnel reclassifications and District Attorney pay step; several items cleared by unanimous votes

Mariposa County supervisors on March 11 took a series of actions by unanimous votes and consensus, approving a mix of consent‑agenda and regular‑agenda items that included funding for trail maintenance, an on‑call airport design contract with a corrected compensation limit, personnel reclassifications and the advancement of a deputy district attorney to a higher pay step.

Why it matters: The decisions free funds for local trail maintenance, preserve the county’s ability to begin design work at the Mariposa‑Yosemite airport, authorize new behavioral‑health peer positions that can be Medi‑Cal billed, and attempt to retain a county prosecutor by approving an advanced pay step.

Votes at a glance

- CA 17 — Memorandum of Understanding with Lake Don Pedro Trail Blazers, $37,240 for trail‑maintenance equipment. Motion: Supervisor Poe moved; Supervisor Tosa seconded. Vote: 5–0 to approve. The county will issue a single check to the Trail Blazers following approval; the MOU includes a county liability release.

- CA 11 — On‑call airport design and planning agreement with Tartaglia Engineering. Public Works corrected a clerical error: the compensation limit in the agreement should read a combined total not to exceed $500,000 (not $2,000,000). Motion to approve as amended: Supervisor Manitrae moved; Supervisor Kaiser seconded. Vote: 5–0 to approve. Public Works said FAA grant programming means work will likely begin in 2028–2029.

- Consent agenda (remaining items after pulls and withdrawals) — Motion to approve the consent agenda as adjusted carried 5–0. Items removed for separate consideration included CA 3 (withdrawn earlier), CA 7 (withdrawn for later consideration), CA 11 and CA 17.

- District Attorney pay‑step (advance to Deputy District Attorney I, step 5 for Steve Carey, effective Nov. 14, 2024). Motion: Supervisor Manitrae moved; Supervisor Kaiser seconded. Vote: 5–0 to approve. The item drew an extended public and board discussion about recruitment challenges for prosecutors in rural counties and whether step advancement best balances retention and career development.

- Library collection policy (update to include language required by California Freedom to Read Act AB 1825). Motion: Supervisor Toso moved; Supervisor Poe seconded. Vote: 5–0 to adopt the updated policy and post it on the library website.

- Creation of peer support specialist positions in Health and Human Services (vacate two unfilled Mental Health Aid allocations; add two Peer Support Specialist I–III allocations; Medi‑Cal certified). Motion: Supervisor Kaiser moved; Supervisor Toso seconded. Vote: 5–0 to approve.

- Reclassifications and job title updates: multiple personnel reclassifications across departments approved 5–0, including reclassifying a Planning Department Planner I to Administrative Analyst I–II; renaming and regrading Engineering Technician series to Public Works Inspector I–II; and Sheriff's Office clerical positions upgraded to Administrative Analyst and Administrative Technician allocations.

Other formal actions and notes

- CA 7 (agreement with Tim O'Loughlin for water‑law services regarding the Flying M Ranch/Burns Dam proposal) was withdrawn by board consensus and will return to the March 18 meeting; County Counsel and staff will provide Water Agency Advisory Board minutes and a proposed MOU for review before the board considers hiring outside counsel.

- Several items included clerical clarifications (CA 11 compensation limit) or logistical notes (CA 17 funds were drawn from an existing Lake Don Pedro fund accumulated from a grazing lease and will be closed after disbursement).