Board approves consent calendar, land use change and multiple district rates; key appointments and budget tweaks pass

The Madera County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 10 approved a slate of routine and substantive items, including a rezone and mitigated negative declaration for a Golden State Boulevard project, water-rate increases for two special-district maintenance areas, the appointment of a new public works director, a contract and budget package for a Treasurer-Tax Collector office remodel, and a procurement limit change for purchasing-agent agreements.

Why it matters: The board voted formally on multiple measures that affect county land use, special-district utility rates, departmental leadership and capital spending. Several items included required environmental review, rate-notice and protest procedures, and budget adjustments funded from departmental reserves or dedicated departmental fees rather than the general fund.

Among the recorded board actions were votes to: - Approve the consent calendar (roll-call vote recorded as unanimous). - Adopt a mitigated negative declaration and approve a general-plan amendment/zone change for a Golden State Boulevard property (project 2022-003 / rezone 2022-004). - Adopt resolutions increasing water rates and levies for Maintenance District 73 (Quartz Mountain) and Maintenance District 58 (Sierra Highlands) after public hearings and notification of property owners. - Adopt a resolution appointing Dominic Tyburski as director of public works and county road commissioner, effective Dec. 16, 2024. - Approve an agreement with eScribe Software Ltd. for legislative/agenda management and related implementation services to replace a soon-to-be-sunsetted vendor. - Approve an amendment and a package of budget transfers and receipts to fund additional work on the Treasurer-Tax Collector tenant improvement project. - Approve an administrative change to the county purchasing-agent authority with a monthly reporting requirement to the board. - Take a subsequent-need minute-order appointment naming Arthur Galindo acting director of Behavioral Health Services retroactive to Sept. 27, 2024, and direct staff to return with a formal resolution.

Several votes were unanimous. Where state law required notice or protest thresholds (water-district rate hearings), staff reported the required notices were sent and that the number of written protests was below the threshold needed to defeat each proposed rate.

The board also handled routine human-resources and CalPERS delegation items, adopted salary-schedule changes, and recognized longtime employees and local awardees in ceremonial presentations.