[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6474859,"mediaKeyId","5739172-25fa1215552cdd9e82726217b7ce92fe","parentId",5739172,"title","Air Pollution Control Board approves grants, agreements and program resolutions; appointment confirmed","audioSeconds",434,"startMs",2081000,"endMs",2515000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739172-25fa1215552cdd9e82726217b7ce92fe&start=2081&end=2515","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739172-25fa1215552cdd9e82726217b7ce92fe/thumbnail_2081000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474859/Ventura-County/California/Air-Pollution-Control-Board-approves-grants-agreements-and-program-resolutions-appointment-confirmed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474859-114287cc1ee74fc65383844eb2e3aaea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770729316&Signature=dDitK7~FrP42ODhgHY4Y2cjrBhhiFYE9xIbbOGTaiE~n9FOPKu3fJv6asI42wIWSLXpVopLDs-zZ89h8b1jFdWA7JOaFsaE~PfhCX7m-NTFuhVOXppNnxldrAobfN6IlZuSI~hgjyGolupjz8iI7SlcRE1zrnEub~c-g-klupxgtq9nqD8z9KqMCl6zqQ6aBS2Tk0TPN7S6aWuaNdBccofW9WVeEM~DnSzEf7TlKrI7hiiPJnj3cAuQri1xC6wtiC0~U1gcB~7Y9T5U~znVoiP0z622-KIEHBI01hVYvFbSFR6Jie7AEn2JBy2iCELYdwmSSUS8L2fE78si~VtYrHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ventura County (Top 100)","date","2025-09-09T20:16:47Z","article","The Ventura County Air Pollution Control Board took a series of routine actions during the meeting, including grant/project approvals, one advisory appointment and two program participation resolutions.

• Federal Section 105 grant: Executive Officer Eli Ghasemi informed the board that on July 31, 2025, the district submitted a federal fiscal year 2026 Section 105 grant application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for $11,192,200. The item was presented as a status report and filed; no motion was required.

• Advisory committee appointment: The board approved the appointment of Luke Fait to the Ventura County APCD advisory committee for a term ending Jan. 8, 2029. The nomination was made by Supervisor Long and confirmed by the county supervisor on June 3, 2025. The board voted to approve the appointment.

• Ventura Botanical Gardens grant: The board approved a grant agreement providing up to $25,000 to Ventura Botanical Gardens toward the purchase of an electric vehicle for operations, with advance payment allowed and unused funds returnable if the vehicle cost is below the combined $70,000 budget. A board member disclosed a potential appearance of conflict (spouse worked as a consultant to the Gardens) and abstained. Staff said the Clean Air Fund advisory committee had recommended the grant. The board confirmed the required number of affirmative votes and approved the grant; one abstention was recorded.

• Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP) MOU: The board authorized the air pollution control officer to sign a memorandum of understanding with Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) to support tier‑1 outreach for the Driving Clean Assistance Program, which provides grants and vouchers to low‑income and disadvantaged community residents for electric vehicles and charging. The district will provide up to $10,000 over 12 months to conduct outreach, staff training and reporting; CHDC will administer the program and reimburse administrative and media costs. The board approved the MOU unanimously.

• CAP and FARMER program resolutions: The board adopted resolutions authorizing continued participation in the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Community Air Protection (CAP) program and in CARB's Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) program. Staff told the board these programs (cited in staff materials as created under AB 134 and AB 617) provide state funding for disadvantaged communities and for replacing diesel agricultural equipment; the board approved both resolutions unanimously.

• Service award: The board acknowledged a five‑year service award for air quality engineer Danny McQuillan (unable to attend due to illness); no board action was required.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment of Luke Fait to the APCD advisory committee: approved (motion recorded; vote recorded as passed).
- Ventura Botanical Gardens grant, $25,000: approved (one abstention; board confirmed required affirmative votes).
- MOU with CHDC for DCAP outreach (up to $10,000 over 12 months): approved unanimously.
- Adoption of CAP program participation resolution: approved unanimously.
- Adoption of FARMER program participation resolution: approved unanimously.

Ending

Most items were routine, recommended by staff, and approved without extended debate. The transcript records no amendments to the agreements or resolutions during the public session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Air Pollution Control Board Meeting - September 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Ventura County Air Pollution Control Board approved an advisory appointment, a $25,000 grant to Ventura Botanical Gardens, a community outreach MOU, and resolutions to continue participation in CARB funding programs; staff also reported the district's Section 105 grant application to EPA.","taxTitle","Ventura County, California","taxId",3398,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474864,"APCD employees tell board of hostile work environment, urge third‑party review",2303,1212000,3515000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5739172-25fa1215552cdd9e82726217b7ce92fe&start=1212&end=3515","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5739172-25fa1215552cdd9e82726217b7ce92fe/thumbnail_1212000.jpg","/articles/6474864/Ventura-County/California/APCD-employees-tell-board-of-hostile-work-environment-urge-thirdparty-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474864-832b601fbe0a6dc10728b8074d518e85/orig.mp4?Expires=1770729316&Signature=EmOSo2tYoglUFepXJCctqaL9iXabqiXmT5hoHVbrTkHhmrvlcLa9iBuWD9O2qveyBH5dDxhboME-xXd-5bA-hYNqkgrU7iz~-7uksGa0Dorl2R~zFstBVtEmAhBD1n46-xnkEg3-I39DWQxCi4Gb5hfV7QUGkMKB5KOXXeH95-XIp6olJ72xNmihX6jZxALrUSFt4aR6R4H3VWeL~ZPE82uOddN04D2mOa-b6GEBgZ9peyywO7g3P8QW23xcFoDXk13IPu3aOtL86yl03EGRJ~bE8XFCsTOGwgrJ57w1sorx0N7C1B1siNtVQgd9sgYvoKfw6bCG2CxvwmhM-iM~iQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several current and former employees of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) told the Air Pollution Control Board during the meeting's public comment period that workplace conditions have deteriorated and urged the board to order an independent review.

Neil Hamill, a Ventura resident and a supervising inspector with the Air Pollution Control District, said multiple coworkers had been investigated and, during those investigations, placed on administrative leave, stripped of building access and work email, and left unable to obtain records to defend themselves. \"With Ms. Mendoza's continued access to the district network, she has the ability to remove or tamper with files and information. This should be highly disturbing to you all,\" Hamill said. He concluded, \"Please help us. We need action.\"

\"Since last time I spoke in July, there has been little to no improvement,\" said Christopher (identified in the record by first name only). He said Executive Officer Ali Ghasemi has displayed hostility toward employees, sometimes ridiculing staff and raising his voice during meetings.

Hayden McPherson, a staff member who said this was her third consecutive meeting raising concerns, said the workplace has grown more hostile and that managers accused in complaints were being included on internal teams intended to address the problems. \"We, the employees of the air district, need you to act,\" McPherson said.

Nicole Collazo, an air quality specialist and SEIU steward at the district, told the board she has received repeated complaints from both union and nonunion staff across divisions who are worried about their jobs and fearful of retaliation. \"We are ready for a change, and we're ready to feel like a team again,\" Collazo said.

Amy Sager, executive board member of SEIU Local 721, told the board the union has collected reports of confidential information appearing in staff mailboxes and of telework schedules being obtained through public records requests. Sager said a manager named in more than 20 complaints to county human resources in the last two years remained active in internal performance teams and that the union had submitted an open letter asking the board to intervene.

Crystal (recorded on Zoom) provided sworn public documents to the clerk and cited the APCD exempt staff administrative leave policy dated Aug. 23, 2010 and payroll data from Transparent California. She said three managers — identified in her submission as Ali Ghasemi, Nancy Mendoza and Leonila Matharang — received a combined $97,177 in \"other pay\" in February 2024 and asked the board to commission an independent third‑party review of pay distributions, administrative‑leave usage and related personnel practices. \"I urge the board to engage a third party to review these matters,\" she said.

Board counsel then announced the meeting would move into closed session on the final agenda item. The record does not show a formal board directive during public comment to start a third‑party investigation; the public comments and submitted documents were followed by the board's planned closed session.

The public commenters repeatedly said they feared retaliation for speaking and asked the board to provide regular public updates on any review or corrective actions.

Ending

No formal personnel action was recorded in the public session. The board proceeded to closed session at the end of the meeting; the transcript does not record the closed‑session discussion or any final action arising from it.","Current and former Air Pollution Control District staff spoke at a public comment period alleging a hostile work environment, misuse of administrative leave and pay irregularities, and urged the board to order an independent investigation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Air Pollution Control Board approves grants, agreements and program resolutions; appointment confirmed

APCD employees tell board of hostile work environment, urge third‑party review