Supervisors consider using public-health and library resources as cooling centers; homelessness count results expected in June

During the June 9 budget hearings supervisors discussed public-health uses, library services and homelessness responses as components of the countys broader social-services strategy.

Krista Riggs, Madera County Library director, urged continued support for libraries, emphasizing their role in early literacy, job search help, internet access and community meeting space. "Libraries are essential public infrastructure just like roads and schools," Riggs told the board, listing services such as story times, online tutoring and summer reading programs.

Supervisor Rogers asked whether subvented public-health funding could help operate library branches as summer cooling centers and workforce hubs. Sarah Boss, director of Public Health, and CAO staff said cooling centers are overseen operationally by the Office of Emergency Services and the sheriff's department, but that public health and OES have discussed leveraging existing county facilities for cooling operations. CAO staff also reported during the hearing that Public Health redirected $240,000 to Department of Social Services in a budget adjustment intended to reduce the department's net county cost; staff said that adjustment had already occurred and was part of interdepartmental budgeting.

Homelessness and point-in-time count

Maddie Mendez, executive director of the Community Action Partnership (CAPMC) and the county's homelessness programs partner, said the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Carepreliminary regional point-in-time (PIT) results show an increase for the region and HUD-level counts are expected to be published later in June. Mendez said the local PIT submissions were collected using the regional app and that a public briefing led by the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care will break down city and county numbers.

Supervisors urged staff to explore legitimate, allowable uses of subvented funding (including public health and grant funds) that could reduce general-fund outlays while providing community services such as cooling centers and workforce support. The CAO and public-health staff said they would coordinate with OES and sheriff's office to analyze possible cooling-center locations and costs.

Selected quotes

Krista Riggs, Library Director: "For every $1 invested in libraries, there's a yield of 4 to $5 in community value...Libraries level the playing field."

Maddie Mendez, CAPMC: "We did do a point in time count. The we're expecting the HUD results to come out later this month."

Ending: Staff will coordinate across Public Health, OES and libraries to examine cooling-center site options, evaluate allowable uses of subvented funds and report back to the board; HUD PIT results and regional breakdowns are expected to be available later in June.