CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Committee Meeting Minutes - Final

Economic Opportunity Council

6:00 PM

Thursday, August 14, 2025

1470 Civic Court, Suite 200, Room 207,

Concord | Zoom:

https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/84112970168 |

Call in: 8882780254 | Code: 7038773

Agenda Items: Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the

Committee

Call to Order and Welcome.

Meeting Called to Order at 9:07 pm by Chair Medlen. Quorum Established.

Staff Present: Christina Castle-Barber, Melissa Molina, Roshunda Ward, Ali Vahidizadeh

Guests: Monisha Merchant and Christian Dean (non-voting EOC members attending remotely)

Karanbir Bal, Patricia Campbell, Jessica Cisneros, Karen Coleman,

Ajit Kaushal, Buffie Lafayette, Janelle Lafrades, Desire Medlen,

LaTonia Peoples-Stokes, Kanwar Singh, Victor Tiglao, and Renee

Zeimer

Present

Devlyn Sewell

Excused

Absent

Nikki Lopez

Christian Dean, and Monisha Merchant

Non-voting

Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda

(speakers may be limited to two minutes).

CLOSED SESSION

APPROVE the EOC Business Meeting Minutes of 6-12-2025.

EOC Business Meeting Minutes of 6-12-2025 - DRAFT

25-3313

Attachments:

A motion was made by Campbell, seconded by Zeimer, to approve the EOC Business

Meeting Minutes of 6-12-2025. The motion carried by the following vote: 10 ayes and

2 abstentions.

Motion:

Campbell

Second:

Zeimer

Aye:

Bal, Campbell, Cisneros, Kaushal, Lafayette, Lafrades,

Medlen, Peoples-Stokes, Tiglao, and Zeimer

Absent:

Lopez

Abstain:

Result:

Coleman, and Singh

Passed

APPROVE the 2026-2027 CSBG RFP.

RFP XXX CSB CSBG Webposting DRAFT - ccb 7-30-25

25-3314

Attachments:

Tiglao asked about citizenship status and Castle-Barber replied that we will find out more

in September.

A motion was made by Kaushal, seconded by Lafayette, to approve the RFP for the

2026-2027 CSBG Funds. The motion carried by the following vote: unanimous.

Motion:

Kaushal

Second:

Lafayette

Aye:

Bal, Campbell, Cisneros, Coleman, Kaushal, Lafayette,

Lafrades, Medlen, Peoples-Stokes, Singh, Tiglao, and Zeimer

Absent:

Result:

Lopez

Passed

APPROVE attendees to the 2025 CalCAPA Conference.

CalCAPA Conference 2025

25-3315

Attachments:

Molina shared the email from CalCAPA inviting Victor to attend the Young People's

Caucus at this conference. The group agreed that Victor should attend. A secret ballot vote

was taken to determine who the other two that will attend willl be. Cisneros and Singh will

attend.

A motion was made by Tiglao, seconded by Peoples-Stokes, to approve the sending

Tiglao, Singh, and Cisneros to the CalCAPA conference 2025 in Palm Springs. The

motion carried by the following vote: Unanimous.

Motion:

Tiglao

Second:

Peoples-Stokes

Aye:

Bal, Campbell, Cisneros, Coleman, Kaushal, Lafayette,

Lafrades, Medlen, Peoples-Stokes, Singh, Tiglao, and Zeimer

Absent:

Result:

Lopez

Passed

RECEIVE June 2025 CSBG Fiscal Report for Grant # 25F-6009.

2025 CSBG Monthly Expense Tracking June

25-3316

25-3317

25-3318

Attachments:

Vahidizadeh presented the fiscal report.

This Discussion Item was received.

RECEIVE final report on CSBG Onsite Monitoring for 2025.

2025 Contra Costa Onsite Monitoring Report Final

Attachments:

Castle-Barber presented the final onsite monitoring report for 2025.

This Discussion Item was received.

DISCUSS Update on CSBG Strategic Plan.

2022-2027 Strategic Plan - Goals and Strategies - 2025 Update to th

EOC DRAFT

Attachments:

Castle-Barber presented the update on the Strategic Plan. The EOC discussed creating a

new one given the many shifts with the current administartion. We will have a Roundtable

and discuss priorities with our subcontractors in the fall.

This Discussion Item was received.

DISCUSS PRWORA Executive Order and Safety Net Cuts.

10.

25-3319

National Partners - HHS PRWORA Update Webinar - 07.28.25

Safety-Net-Cuts-Implementation-Timeline_NACHSA68

Attachments:

Castle-Barber presented the PRWORA presentation received by NCAF and Safety Net

Custs presented by NACHSA. We will address these at the roundtable in the fall.

This Discussion Item was received.

11.

Staff Report: Funding Updates and EOC Training Status

Castle-Barber shared the NCAF fact sheet on H.R. 3131 by NCAF and the press release by Thompson

and Bonamici. Members will begin advocating using the NCAF Advocacy Toolkit sent out to members

this week.

Molina presented the updated mandated training tracking sheet and urged everyone to get their training

done ASAP.

This was received.

12.

EOC Chair Report

Chair Medlen shared the EHSD Newsletter Article on our Community Action Month Presentation to the

Board of Supervisors and discussed various convenings occurring around the county. She urged

members to get involved.

13.

EOC Member Reports

Tiglao gave an update on the SNAP benefits for prolonged school closure bill that the group advocated

for and indicated it is now an application process but it is close to being enacted.

14.

Next Steps

Castle-Barber will obtain the letter of support for CSBG by the Board of Supervisors and share with the

EOC.

15.

Meeting Evaluation

None.

The next meeting is currently scheduled for September 11 at 6pm.

16. Adjourn

Chair Medlen adjourned the meeting at 7:37 pm.

The Committee will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend

the Committee meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting. Any

disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by

the County to a majority of members of the Committee less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are

available for public inspection at 1470 Civic Court, Suite 200, Concord, during normal business hours.

Staff reports related to items on the agenda are also accessible online at www.contracosta.ca.gov. If the

Zoom connection malfunctions for any reason, the meeting may be paused while a fix is attempted. If

the connection is not reestablished, the committee will continue the meeting in person without remote

access. Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day

prior to the published meeting time.

For Additional Information Contact: Christina Castle-Barber 925-608-8819