In an effort to meet state employment requirements and spend tax dollars more efficiently, Board of Supervisors meeting videoconference locations in Joshua Tree and Hesperia will be utilized only when significant public use is anticipated.
Videoconferencing centers have been funded and staffed at the Bob Burke Joshua Tree Government Center and the Jerry Lewis High Desert Government Center in Hesperia for every board meeting for close to a decade. Declining and oftentimes zero public utilization led the County Administrative Office to re-evaluate the operation of the sites and determine that scaling back operations would constitute the wisest use of public resources.
In 2022, 58 people visited the two videoconferencing sites over 23 meetings with a cost to the county of $30,771 for staffing. In 2023, 46 people visited the two sites over 23 meetings – including only one who visited the Hesperia site – with a cost to the county of $37,023. So far in 2024, only five people have visited the Joshua Tree site and only one person has visited the Hesperia site over 13 meetings, with a preliminary cost to the county of $13,752. The county has not yet been billed for all of the costs associated with meetings so far this year.
Also, the only space available for videoconferencing at the Bob Burke Joshua Tree Government Center has been an employee break room. State law requires employers to provide suitable rest facilities for employees during working hours. Usage of this room as a videoconferencing site for every meeting too often prevented employees from being able to use this space in accordance with the law.
The county will continue to operate the Joshua Tree and/or Hesperia remote participation sites when there is an item on the board agenda that is anticipated to draw significant public participation from those communities. The county is also exploring other potential locations in Joshua Tree to use for these meetings that would ensure alignment with state employment requirements.
The public may provide comments to the Board of Supervisors by submitting written communication via email at BoardMeetingComments@cob.sbcounty.gov, online at publiccomments.cob.sbcounty.gov or via U.S. Mail to San Bernardino County Clerk of the Board of Supervisors at 385 N. Arrowhead Ave, 2nd Fl, San Bernardino, CA 92415.
Additional County Update News – August 15, 2024
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- Museum unveils STEAM Lab with ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house
- Registrar working with city clerks to cope with error
- County right-sizes use of videoconferencing sites
- Transient Occupancy Tax website unveiled
- Oriental fruit fly quarantine lifted in Redlands area
- County hosts successful street vending workshops
- Building Stronger Communities Together: National Night Out 2024
- Code Enforcement prevents potential disaster at unpermitted site
- Public Health hosts event celebrating National Breastfeeding Month
- Probation champions community safety and youth empowerment
- Plan for southbound 71 weekend full closure this weekend
- Museums offer new online system to schedule field trips
- Calling all artists for the 2024 Hispanic Heritage Month art exhibit
- Wellness Works Here: Start Your Journey
- Register for this year’s State of the County
- Clear the Shelters continues with low-cost adoptions Aug 10 – Sept. 10
- San Bernardino County destinations
- San Bernardino County history
- Things to Do
- Pet of the Week