Kings County supervisors approve road and safety projects, renew payroll support and introduce SB 1383 ordinance amendment

The Kings County Board of Supervisors on March 3 voted to approve a set of operational contracts and infrastructure actions and introduced a local ordinance amendment to implement California's SB 1383 waste-hauler requirements under a franchise-zone model.

Staff presented a series of routine but consequential items. County information-technology staff recommended a one-year technical-support renewal order with Oracle for the county's PeopleSoft payroll system, with a fiscal impact of $133,961 split into four payments; the board authorized the purchasing manager to execute the purchase order. John Chamber, presenting the mutual-aid update, said the county will formalize a no-cost mutual-aid arrangement with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the Corcoran facility to allow reciprocal responses for equipment or mechanical failures through 2029; the board approved that agreement.

Public works staff asked the board to approve plans and specifications and authorize bidding for Phase 3 of the Avenue Cutoff roadway reconstruction, the final county segment north of 30th Avenue to the California Aqueduct. Mitchell Cabrera, chief engineer and road commissioner, said the phase is estimated at $6,603,226 with a construction window of about 60 working days and that the road will be fully closed during construction with a detour via Gale Avenue to State Route 269. Cabrera told the board that if bids exceed available SB 1 funds, staff would recommend pausing or re-scoping the project to match available funding.

On traffic safety, Public Works recommended—and the board approved—a resolution to install an all-way stop at 16th Avenue and Grangeville Boulevard after the revised 2026 California MUTCD warrants indicated the intersection met collision thresholds under the updated rules. Cabrera said message boards will be installed at least two weeks before the new configuration to notify drivers.

On court access, the board approved an updated Justice Partner Portal agreement with the Kings County Superior Court to align with state protocol changes; assistant CEO Matthew Boyad said the agreement is effective March 3, 2026, and department heads will authorize staff to submit individual court-technology access request forms as needed.

The board also took a procedural step on county waste-hauler rules tied to state law SB 1383. Boyad summarized the county's earlier path: staff originally drafted ordinances to implement the state law under a free-market approach but, after hauler resistance, the county shifted to a franchise-zone model. The amendment introduced to chapter 13 of the county code would codify that franchise-zone approach and staff said signed franchise agreements with the county's haulers will be presented later for final approval. Boyad said the haulers are now on board with the franchise agreements; the board voted to introduce the proposed ordinance.

The meeting also included a ceremonial recognition: Sheriff Dave Putnam read a nomination praising Deputy Andrew James for leadership in inmate rehabilitation programs—citing work on a chicken-coop vocational project and grounds maintenance—and the board recognized James as employee of the quarter. James said, “This means a lot,” and accepted the board's thanks.

Votes at a glance: - Mutual-aid agreement with CDCR (Corcoran facility): approved (board vote: approved by the sitting board; one supervisor absent) - Oracle PeopleSoft technical-support renewal ($133,961): approved (board vote: approved by the sitting board; one supervisor absent) - Avenue Cutoff Phase 3 plans and authorization to bid (estimated $6,603,226): authorized to bid (board vote: approved by the sitting board; one supervisor absent) - All-way stop at 16th Avenue & Grangeville Blvd (resolution): approved (board vote: approved by the sitting board; one supervisor absent) - Justice Partner Portal agreement (Superior Court): approved (board vote: approved by the sitting board; one supervisor absent) - Ordinance amendment to implement SB 1383 via franchise zones (introduction): introduced for further consideration (board voted to introduce; subsequent final adoption pending)

What happens next: staff will proceed with procurement steps and bidding where authorized, post public notices for traffic changes, complete required access-request forms for court portal users, and return to the board with signed franchise agreements and the ordinance for a later adoption vote. The board adjourned into closed session to consider litigation and labor matters.