January 30, 2002

Supervisor Tom Mayfield offered the State of the County address Tuesday morning, acknowledging a productive year for Stanislaus County despite national turmoil.

Mayfield, who serves as Turlock’s representative on the County Board of Supervisors, gave his “Common Sense Approach” speech during the board’s regular meeting in Modesto.

Based on a rotation basis, Mayfield was selected as chair of the board in early January. The acting chair offers the annual address each year.

“At home, not all programs have performed up to our rigorous standards and mistakes will happen,” Mayfield said after acknowledging a year of tragedy, economic crisis and the county’s own shortcomings. “The best thing we can do as a continuous improvement organization is to learn from our mistakes and continue to move forward.”

“To be a visionary is to project the big picture for the future, and to provide a road map for change. This board will continue to chart an impressive course.”

Mayfield made mention of several positive improvements to the County in the past year. Among the many he mentioned, Mayfield lauded the opening of Turlock’s new Salvation Army Corps Center for its collaboration with the Stanislaus County Community Services Agency, who recently opened their County satellite office at the corner of W. Main and Lander Avenue downtown.

Among improvements Mayfield said the Board wished to incorporate this year was an agreement with the cities in the County to annex county islands.

Turlock was recently granted approval by the Board of Supervisors to acquire 380 acres of County land that occupies a portion of their primary sphere of influence. Whether the City will receive the land will be weighed by the state’s Board of Equalization in coming months.

“We are not washing our hands of these areas; we feel that the County is obligated to help with infrastructure, and see the projects through to completion,” said Mayfield. “Citizens living in these islands deserve the same city police and municipal services that their adjacent neighbors enjoy.”

Mayfield said the Board’s commitment to farmland would continue to be a priority this year.

“The Board of Supervisors has supported the conservation of agricultural land in this County and continues to have one of the highest rates of Williamson Act participation in the State of California,” he said. “The Board’s actions in the past have demonstrated a strong support for the agricultural economy in the County.”

Mayfield was hopeful that the state’s $125 billion budget deficit would not harm the County’s budget.

“While certain proposals of the Governor regarding State-County health and social services programs may increase County costs; overall the budget appears to acknowledge the major role local government plays in providing crucial services to our citizens,” said Mayfield.

Mayfield concluded his remarks with a positive outlook for the new year.

“As a County, we will strive to be the best in California,” he said. “You can county on a continuously better County government and a stronger, healthier community as a result.”

The 20-minute speech was simultaneously televised throughout the County and will be rebroadcast several times this week and the next.

Charter Communications will rebroadcast the speech Wednesday, 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., Thursday, 1 and 8 p.m., Friday 1 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 8 p.m., Monday, Feb. 4, 1 and 9 p.m., and Tuesday, Feb. 5, 1 and 8 p.m.

For those without cable, the address will also be broadcasted on KAZV-TV Channel 14 at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2.

Improvements highlighted

Among the positive expansions or improvements that the County has made this year that Mayfield addressed Tuesday:

• The County Sheriff’s department has ordered a sniffer unit, which es expected to arrive later this year. The new technology will allow drug enforcement agents to detect a drug lab within a one-mile radius.
  
  Last year, the County busted 90 drug labs, 19 of which were in Turlock, according to the Stanislaus County Department of Drug Enforcement.
  
• A new library for Turlock and improvements to the County library in Modesto are still on tap with the County, Mayfield said.
• Purchasing additional land for the landfill in Crows Landing. Meeting the requirements of the endangered species act for the kit fox, the County has designated one acre for garbage and three acres for the kit fox.
• In August, the County re-opened the former Memorial Hospital in Ceres as a part of the Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. The site can service 30 adolescents, 13 women and their children during day treatment services. The residential treatment program, where adults 18 and over can seek two to six week treatment, has accommodations for 73 adults.
• The Health Services Agency of Stanislaus County has 53 programs, not including the individual clinics. Last year, the agency provided care for 248,000 patients. More drop-in clinics have provided a cheaper and faster way for patients to find care than at hospital emergency rooms.
• The Public Works department have installed a 96-inch pipe to carry the runoff from the creeks in the Patterson area and alleviate flooding. The project will save the County approximately $750,000 in damages, Mayfield said.

Megan McDaniel is a reporter with the Turlock Journal. She can be reached by phone, 634-9141, or by e-mail, megan@turlockjournal.com.

Reprinted by permission of the Turlock Journal.