Resident tells supervisors she lost family members, alleges county termination while on leave

A resident, identified in the meeting as Rachanda Smith (who later said she is also called Roshanda or Rose), spoke during public comment on March 4, telling the board she has experienced multiple personal tragedies and asking for county assistance.

Smith said her son, Demetrius Perry Jones, was killed in a mass shooting five years earlier and that six months before that her granddaughter died in a backyard pool accident. She said her husband died after a chemical inhalation incident at his workplace at Land O'Lakes on Oct. 13, 2021. Smith said those events left her homeless and that she and her family have been "sleeping in cars." She said she had been a Tulare County employee working as a mental health crisis worker and alleged the county terminated her while she was on leave.

“Nothing has been done. I have lost my home, my cars, and please believe me I have lost it all,” Smith said. She asked the board to hear her and to provide assistance.

Chair Pete Vanderpool responded that the board heard her and said, "My heart goes out to you, and I want to help in any way that we can. So, we will see what we can do within our departments to help if we can." The board did not record any formal action or vote in response to the public comment; county staff offered to accept additional administrative paperwork Smith said she would provide.

Smith also said she intended to turn in an administrative judge form regarding her termination. The board closed public comment after a few additional exchanges and continued with the consent calendar.