Board approves pre‑fiscal‑year budget adjustments covering roughly $29 million in shortfalls; Sarmiento partially abstains

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to approve item 44, a pre‑fiscal‑year budget update that included adjustments to appropriations, changes to the master event calendar, and reorganizations in the Office of Care Coordination and Health Care Agency.

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said he was being asked to approve “over $29,000,000 in projected appropriation shortfalls” concentrated in two departments and said the materials provided insufficient department‑level detail. He asked departments with large overruns to provide memos explaining new positions, supplies and associated costs and said he would abstain on that portion of recommended action number 1 while supporting the remaining elements.

Clerk reading and board action followed; the motion carried with Sarmiento’s abstention noted. The approved package also includes authorization for the Office of Care Coordination director (or designee) to execute or amend related documents under specified conditions and the adoption of a side letter agreement with the Orange County Managers Association.

Sarmiento asked county communications to work with the Health Care Agency to inform residents about the planned clinic changes tied to lost grant funding; county staff did not identify additional immediate fiscal offsets during the meeting.

The board directed staff to implement authorized changes consistent with the approvals and to provide additional departmental detail as requested.