Transcript of Public Hearing Testimony
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF SONOMA DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER JULY 18, 2015 1 KAREN FARIA: I'm sure because this is all day long, people will be coming and 2 going throughout the time we have allotted for this public hearing. Hello and welcome. 3 Welcome to all of you that are here in the audience and welcome to the people who are 4 joining us via the phone line. And DDS Department of Developmental Services is very 5 happy that we can accommodate everybody who is interested today. No matter what 6 point in the 124-year history of Sonoma Developmental Center, it has been an integral 7 and interconnected entity in the life of Sonoma Valley of this Valley of the Moon. And 8 over time, it has become an iconic entity for those who know it from personal 9 experience, for those who know it from secondhand experience, for those who know it 10 just from a kind of lazy drive down the shady part of Arnold Drive. Today, as it is 11 inevitable in all organizations, change is coming to SDC. We are here today to assist 12 that change through a democratic process. Democracy demands participation from its 13 people. And that's what we're going to do today. All of us here and on the phone are 14 going to participate in that change by describing what we think the future should be for 15 both the physical plant, for the services and for whatever other concern that all of you, 16 all of us may have for SDC's future. If we do that, we will be helping a process that 17 takes us from an impersonal piece of legislation into a very personal, very meaningful 18 process of hoping that we address the needs of those people who live here in the 19 community of Sonoma Valley and those who have and have a need for the services that 20 are provided here in Sonoma Valley. We welcome you and we welcome your 21 participation. We are pleased that you are here. We are anxious to hear your ideas, 22 your concerns, your preferred future for Sonoma Developmental Center. On behalf of 23 the thousands of individuals starting in 1891 who have made Sonoma their home, who 24 have passed through the doors of that facility, we welcome your participation in change. 25 Thank you. And I would now like to introduce Cindy Coppage. Northern California Court Reporters (916)485-4949 2 1 CINDY COPPAGE: Thank you, Karen. Good morning. Thank you all for 2 coming today, and it's so good to see you here. And my name is Cindy Coppage. And 3 we are here today to listen to your input on the proposed closure and transformation of 4 Sonoma Developmental Center. With me today are Aleana Carreon and Jorge 5 Fernandez. We know him as JJ. And we are the hearing officers today that will be 6 facilitating this public hearing. We want to express our appreciation and thanks to 7 Sonoma Valley High School for allowing us to use their facilities here today. We also 8 would like to acknowledge and thank the Sonoma Parent Hospital Association for 9 providing the refreshments which are located in the back. Feel free to get up and enjoy 10 those. Restrooms are located over here to my left, your right. And drinking fountains 11 are also in there. We would also like to acknowledge the exits in case we have an 12 emergency evaluation. Just make note of the exits. We have several. I would now like 13 to introduce the Department of Developmental Services representatives. And first I 14 would like to introduce the Director, Santi Rogers. Next, John Doyle, our Chief Deputy 15 Director. Dwayne LaFon, who is the interim Deputy Director for Developmental 16 Centers Division. He's in the back. Fariba Shahmirzadi, who is the Assistant Deputy 17 Director for administrative operations in the back also. Eric Gelber, the Assistant 18 Director for Legislation and Regulations. He's in the back. I'd like to also introduce Amy 19 Wall, the Assistant Director for Developmental Center Closure. She's over at the media 20 table. Nancy Lungren, Assistant Director for Communications. And you've all heard 21 from Karen Faria, the Director -- Executive Director of Sonoma Developmental Center. 22 Thank you. We would also like to acknowledge some of our local elected officials who 23 are present here today and who have requested an opportunity to speak before 24 individual public comments. I would like to first introduce Senator Mike McGuire. Next 25 we have Assembly Member Bill Dodd. And also here today is Supervisor Susan Gorin. Northern California Court Reporters (916)485-4949 3 1 We would also like to acknowledge Tracy Krumpen from Senator Wolk's office and 2 Ezrah Chaaban from Assembly Member Dodd's office. Thank you all for coming. This 3 public hearing is being audibly recorded as you can see. For the record, it is now 10:15 4 a.m. on July 18th, 2015 and we are here at Sonoma Valley High School Pavilion in 5 Sonoma. As you are aware, Senate Bill 82 signed by Governor Brown on June 24th 6 requires the Department of Developmental Services to submit a plan or plans to the 7 Legislature by October 1, 2015 to close one or more of the Department's three 8 remaining developmental centers. As stated in previous communications from the 9 Department, efforts are underway to submit a plan to the Legislature by October 1st to 10 close Sonoma Developmental Center by the end of 2018. This public hearing is set in 11 accordance with the provisions of Welfare and Institutions Code 4474.1(f) which states, 12 "Prior to the submission of the plan to the Legislature, the Department shall hold at least 13 one public hearing in the community in which the developmental center is located with 14 public comment from that hearing summarized in the plan." Notices of this hearing were 15 distributed to numerous interested groups, individuals via mail, email, posted online, 16 noticed in local newspapers, distributed to news media, and hard copies were posted on 17 local bulletin boards. A sign language interpreter is being provided for those who need 18 and like -- and you'll notice she's signing right here. If you're not close, feel free to move 19 over so you have easy visibility of the interpreter. The Department of Developmental 20 Services welcomes your input regarding the closure and transformation of Sonoma 21 Developmental Center. At this hearing, as designees of the Department, we will be 22 receiving your comments. We have set up an operated assisted conference line for 23 those who weren't able to come. And they will be given an opportunity to speak. And 24 we'll alternate with you -- people who have elected to speak here today will alternate 25 with the conference line. We are here to listen and to document your input. The public Northern California Court Reporters (916)485-4949 4 1 hearing is not structured as an interactive process. And as a result, the hearing officers 2 and representatives of the Department will not be responding today to any statements 3 provided. The Department will consider all oral statements made during this meeting. It 4 will also consider written statements submitted at today's hearing which should be 5 placed in the box on the registration table. If you didn't notice that when you came in, if 6 you have any written comments please feel free to drop them in the box. We also will 7 accept input by email and all the other addresses listed on your agenda. And I believe 8 you were -- received a handout. And on the back side there is information about where 9 to send your input. You can submit it to the Department's website or send it by mail. All 10 input must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 1, 2015, in order for it to 11 be considered as part of the development of the Sonoma closure plan. This hearing is 12 being digitally recorded. And the information received today, both verbal and in writing, 13 will be reviewed and summarized for inclusion in the plan. With that said, we will begin 14 by the hearing by having Aleana Carreon review with you the protocols for these 15 proceedings to ensure that everyone is comfortable speaking and is heard. Aleana? 16 ALEANA CARREON: Thank you. Good morning. Individuals providing 17 comments will not be sworn in, nor will there be questioning of presenters. Hearing 18 officers and Department representatives will not be responding to any comments made 19 or questions posed during the public hearing today. Each person wishing to speak 20 should have obtained a three by five speakers card and signed the speakers only sign- 21 in sheet at the registration table over to the left. And the cards should have your 22 speaker number and your name printed on it. For the convenience of the speakers 23 today, the front row up here has been reserved for people to wait their turn as their -- as 24 your speaker card number is close to being called. As those seats are vacated, then 25 the next speakers can take the seat as they awake their turn. When the hearing officer Northern California Court Reporters (916)485-4949 5 1 calls out the number on your three by five speakers card, please approach the 2 microphone right here and leave your card in the basket to the right of the -- to your left 3 of the microphone.