The Kern County Board of Supervisors met yesterday as scheduled for Tuesday’s March 19, 2024, Board Meeting. Supervisor Phillip Peters (District 1), Supervisor Zack Scrivner (District 2), Supervisor Jeff Flores (District 3), Chairman David Couch (District 4), and Supervisor Leticia Perez (District 5) were in attendance. For information on how to address the Board on a specific agenda item or provide general public comment, please click here.   

Meeting Highlights: 

• Item No. 3 AM session:
• The Board proclaimed April 2024 as Donate Life Awareness Month in Kern County.
• Items No. 11 – 12 AM session:
• The Board approved agreements with Telecare Corporation and Central Star to provide therapeutic and rehabilitative inpatient psychiatric services for adult clients placed at Kern Psychiatric Health Facility in Bakersfield and for minors placed at Kern Youth Psychiatric Health Facility in Bakersfield through June of 2025.
• Item No. 13 AM session:
• The Board approved Behavioral Health and Recovery Services participating, accepting, and executing grant funds from the California Health Facilities Financing Authority to implement Children’s Crisis Residential Programs in Kern County.
• Item No. 15 AM session:
• The Board heard a presentation on Kern County’s retirement and actuarial principles.
• Watch the entire presentation here.
• Item No. 21 AM session:
• The Board heard a report from Human Services on the 2023 Kern County Cares Canned Food Drive.
• Item No. 2 PM session:
• The Board proclaimed March 18 – 22, 2024 as National Surveyor’s Week in Kern County.
• Items No. 6 – 8 PM session:
• The Board approved a series of alternative energy projects near Willow Springs and Mojave that will include two photovoltaic solar developments with battery storage, and a micro steel mill that will be the first of its kind on the West Coast.
• These projects will create 1,700 construction jobs within our region, with 400 permanent jobs for the micro steel mill and plan to be operational by 2026.
• Item No. 10 PM session:
• The Board heard an update from Kern County Planning and Natural Resources on the Housing Element of the Kern County General Plan and Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan covering the 2024 through 2031 planning period. 
• The Housing Element is designed to address the projected housing needs of current and future county residents who live in the unincorporated areas of our community.
• Item No. 20 PM session:
• The Board voted to contribute $2,000 to Cheers for Charity, an event in Tehachapi that supports local non-profits in the community.
• Item No. 21 PM session:
• The Board voted to contribute $1,000 to the Frazier Mountain Little League.

The next Regular Board Meetings are scheduled for April 9, 2024, at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.