Fresno County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Fresno County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Public Health Nurse Reassignments and Staffing
Public health nurses and union representatives protested involuntary reassignments of experienced nurses out of key programs like Nurse-Family Partnership, warning it disrupts patient care and safety.
Law Enforcement Recruitment, Retention, and Jail Medical Costs
The Sheriff's Office, District Attorney, and Public Defender reported significant challenges recruiting and retaining attorneys and sworn officers, alongside soaring costs for jail medical care exceeding $42 million. Despite high vacancy rates, departments praised staff for managing overtime and returning unused funds.
Public Health and Social Services Program Reductions
Frontline social workers and union representatives raised serious concerns about staffing turnover, heavy workloads, and child welfare safety practices within the Department of Social Services, calling for an independent outside audit of family reunification and child welfare cases.
Del Rey Intersection Traffic Safety
Residents urged the board to install a four-way stop at Shields and Bryan avenues due to heavy traffic from a nearby school complex.
County Service Area 50 Fire Protection Assessment
Property owners in CSA 50 voted against a proposed benefit assessment increase to fund the Auberry Volunteer Fire Department, resulting in a majority protest that halted the rate hike.
County Vacancies and Recruitment Efforts
Human resources presented the annual vacancy and recruitment report under Government Code §3502.3, highlighting a 14% overall vacancy rate and noting high vacancy in the Public Defender's unit.
Land Application of Human Compost Ban
The board adopted an ordinance amending county health codes to explicitly ban the land application of reduced human remains or human compost.
Code Enforcement Program Progress
The administrative office reported that code enforcement backlogs have been cut nearly in half down to 1,600 cases, with full staffing expected soon.