Public urges farmland protection; board approves consent items and schedules closed session on labor and litigation
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Summary
Public commenters urged farmland preservation and raised allegations of sheriff misconduct; the board approved the consent calendar (including sale of former Salvation Army property for affordable housing) and announced a closed session to discuss labor negotiations and Wyatt et al. v. County of Stanislaus.
During the public comment period at the Jan. 6 meeting, Milt Treeweiler urged supervisors to prioritize preserving Stanislaus County's prime farmland and to focus growth on infill and already-served areas rather than expanding into top-quality agricultural land. "Saving this farmland must be our number one goal," Treeweiler said, urging the county to avoid setting precedents that could lead to loss of prime soil.
Another speaker, Brian Evatt, offered extended allegations that he and his family had suffered excessive force and mistreatment in encounters with the sheriff's department; he said he intended to serve a summons and pursue legal action against the sheriff's department. The board allowed the full public comment and acknowledged Mr. Evatt's remarks; no board action on his allegations was taken at the meeting.
The board then considered a consent calendar that included item B1, the sale of the county-owned former Salvation Army property to an affordable-housing developer for a multi-story project in Modesto. With no audience objections the board moved, seconded and approved the consent calendar unanimously.
In reports the board's legislative and fiscal management staff noted the state budget proposal is due Jan. 10 and flagged early reporting that the federal administration had placed a temporary freeze on childcare and development grants in five states, including California; staff said they were monitoring potential impacts to temporary assistance for needy families payments and local childcare programs.
Before adjourning into closed session, the board announced two closed-session items: conference with labor negotiators pursuant to Government Code section 54957.6, and conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation — Wyatt et al. v. County of Stanislaus et al., case number 121CV00455 (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California) under Government Code section 54956.9(d)(1).
