During the Tri-Communities October Lunch Bunch at Brookfields on Madison Avenue in North Highlands, Sacramento County Board Supervisor Phil Serna, announces a historic meeting consisting of the county’s board of supervisors, Sacramento City Council and the six mayors of the six incorporated cities in the Sacramento Region. The meeting is scheduled to take place Oct. 28 at the Tsakapolous Library Galleria on I and 8th streets. Photo by Seth Henderson

NORTH HIGHLANDS, CA (MPG) - Speaking at the Oct. 2 monthly Tri-Communities Lunch Bunch about community events, the county’s budget and announcing a historic meeting was Sacramento County Supervisor (District 1) Phil Serna among the more than 20 guests at the Brookfields Restaurant on Madison Avenue.

Representatives of businesses, community organizations and local advocates gathered at Brookfields to share upcoming events and successes while networking over brunch. Serna began his speech acknowledging the success of Celebrate North Highlands on Sept. 27.  

Serna announced a historic meeting consisting of the county’s board of supervisors, Sacramento City Council and the six mayors of the six incorporated cities in the Sacramento Region. The meeting is set for Oct. 28 at the Tsakapolous Library Galleria on I and 8th streets. Serna took questions from the audience once he concluded his message. 

“This year was marginally difficult in terms of our legal obligation to balance the county's budget. We have a nine- plus billion-dollar budget,” Serna said. ”It's the largest budget of any local government, basically from here to the Oregon border and we have, as accounting, we have a lot of services that rely on, making sure we have revenue to keep them operational and we're doing everything to stay focused on that without making cuts.”

Serna said that there were no guarantees that budget cuts wouldn’t be an option in the spring when the budget comes back into conversation if an increase in revenue isn’t seen. 

“Mostly what we're looking at is sales tax and property taxes, as well as user fees and other ancillary revenue streams,” Serna said. “But the economy is getting more difficult for folks, not just the inflation you see and you feel.”

Uncertainties do not serve communities well at the local or federal level, Serna said, leading to his announcement of the historic meeting surrounding homelessness and other issues brought up by the public that are not on the meeting agenda. He said homelessness is one of the most pressing issues in the community of Sacramento.

“It's also the most complicated, in terms of our responsibility to policy set, our responsibility to appropriate resources, to help those that are unsheltered and be compassionate about it,” Serna said. “But at the same time, make sure that the impacts that can and do come along with those that feel they have no other place to live but on the banks of our rivers or underneath our bridges or in front of our businesses, to make sure those impacts are minimized.”  

Sacramento Area Creeks Council President Crystal Tobias asked the supervisor about programs aimed at homeless and underserved youth and Serna said there are programs in place for transition-aged youth. Sacramento County has housing resources for emancipated youth on its website. He also said that stopping substance abuse disorders is key in addressing the community’s pressing issue. 

Serna said that the issue is so pressing because “you’re dealing with human beings. You’re not dealing with widgets. You’re not dealing with inanimate objects.

“These are people that, you know, encountered in many respects a great deal of other challenges that some of us haven't experienced,” Serna said.

The issues surrounding homelessness can be hard to grapple with for policy makers, including the state legislature, Serna said.

The Oct. 28 meeting is expected to have a higher-than-normal turnout due to the unique nature of the meeting. Nonprofit providers are also expected to attend in some capacity, either staff representation or a resource table, including the lead continuum of care for homelessness in Sacramento County, Sacramento Steps Forward.

Serna said the meeting is expected to start in the late morning and last as late as it needs to. 

“Not every person that's experiencing homelessness is cut the same,” Serna said. “They don't have the same reasons for why they've become unsheltered. They don't have the same challenges.” 

In other news, Lunch Bunch attendee and Rio Linda Elverta Country Fair board member Charlea Moore said that the fair’s first time conducting a two-day event was a major success and would most likely stay a two-day event. She also highlighted the Oct. 4 Harvest Festival at the Dry Creek Ranch House and advised the audience to attend the park district’s Trunk-or-Treat event. The Trunk-or-Treat will take place at the Rio Linda Community Center, 810 Oak Lane in Rio Linda.

Fliers for the Regional Multi-Chamber Business Mixer consisting of the North Sacramento, Greater Arden Arcade, Natomas and Sacramento Asian-Pacific Chambers were handed out, encouraging attendance of the event at Community West Bank, 1435 River Park Drive, on Oct. 8.

The next Lunch Bunch is scheduled for Nov. 6 at Brookfields Restaurant, 4343 Madison Ave.

The North Highlands Community Meeting is expected to take place on Nov. 6 at the park district’s community center and the featured guest speaker is Sacramento County Supervisor Rich Desmond.