CONTRA COSTA COUNTY  
Committee Meeting Minutes - Final  
Economic Opportunity Council  
6:00 PM  
Thursday, May 8, 2025  
1470 Civic Court, Suite 200, Room 207,  
Concord | Zoom:  
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/84112970168 |  
Call in: 888 278 0254 | code: 7038773  
Agenda Items: Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the  
Committee  
1.  
Call to Order and Welcome  
Secretary Tiglao called the meeting to order at 6:09 pm - Quorum Established  
Staff Present: Christina Castle-Barber, Melissa Molina, Michael Morris and Roshunda Ward, Rebecca  
Darnell, Aisha Teal, Lynne McGraw  
Guest: Christian Dean  
Karanbir Bal, Jessica Cisneros, Karen Coleman, Ajit Kaushal,  
Buffie Lafayette, Janelle Lafrades, Nikki Lopez, Desire Medlen,  
Monisha Merchant, LaTonia Peoples-Stokes, Devlyn Sewell,  
Kanwar Singh, Victor Tiglao, and Renee Zeimer  
Present  
Absent  
Patricia Campbell  
2.  
Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda  
(speakers may be limited to two minutes).  
No public present.  
RECEIVE Presentation on Guaranteed Income.  
CCC EHSD GBI Program Design Presentation - WFS  
3.  
25-1701  
Attachments:  
Aisha Teal and colleagues presented the Guaranteed Basic Income Program of the county  
Tiglao asked if there was cross collaboration between this county pilot program and other  
Guaranteed Income program in the county, such as the Monument Impact one, and if someone  
previously enrolled into a Guaranteed Income program is eligible for this one, to which Teal  
answered that it is independent from other programs and previous enrollment to other  
Guaranteed Income program does not preclude participation  
Singh asked if it was one time, to which Teal asked yes it’s a pilot program  
Lafayette and Kaushal asked if it was for seniors as well, to which Teal answered yes it’s open  
to seniors who are housing insecure, in addition to 4 different categories of lottery that were  
suggested by the Board of Supervisors, all of which are receiving EHSD case management  
Ward asked about how this program will affect other benefits received by participants, to which  
Teal answered that there will be effects to other eligibility of other benefits, though there is an  
effort to secure private funding to fill in the gaps if participants are rendered ineligible for their  
existing benefits  
Zeimer asked if there would be counseling for the payment plan options, to which Teal  
answered yes there will be assistance in figuring out the best option for each selected  
participant  
Zeimer asked about the security of the funds, to which Teal’s team answered that this funding is  
already secured by the county  
Tiglao asked what success looked like for this program, to which Teal and her colleagues  
answered that there will be a long term study on the participants well after the program ends,  
and will look at things like wellbeing, financial literacy, among other factors  
This Discussion Item was received.  
CONSIDER new EOC Candidate for approval.  
4.  
25-1693  
Dean Christian (EOC) 04-21-25 D4_Redacted  
Attachments:  
The EOC interviewed Dean.  
A motion was made by Zeimer, seconded by Cisneros, to approve Christian Dean to  
the Private/Non-Profit Alternate Seat 1 and refer her for approval by the Board of  
Supervisors. The motion carried by the following vote: unanimous.  
Motion:  
Zeimer  
Second:  
Cisneros  
Aye:  
Bal, Cisneros, Coleman, Kaushal, Lafayette, Lafrades, Lopez,  
Medlen, Merchant, Peoples-Stokes, Sewell, Singh, Tiglao, and  
Zeimer  
Absent:  
Result:  
Campbell  
Passed  
APPROVE the EOC Business Meeting Minutes of 4-10-25.  
5.  
25-1694  
EOC Business Meeting Minutes of April 10 2025 - DRAFT  
Attachments:  
A motion was made by Lopez, seconded by Kaushal, to approve the EOC Business  
Meeting Minutes of 4-10-2025.. The motion carried by the following vote: 13 ayes, 1  
abstention.  
Motion:  
Lopez  
Second:  
Kaushal  
Aye:  
Bal, Cisneros, Coleman, Kaushal, Lafayette, Lafrades, Lopez,  
Medlen, Peoples-Stokes, Sewell, Singh, Tiglao, and Zeimer  
Absent:  
Campbell  
Abstain:  
Result:  
Merchant  
Passed  
RECEIVE the March 2025 Fiscal Reports for Grant #24F-3007 including  
amendments.  
6.  
25-1695  
2024 CSBG Monthly Expense March 25  
Attachments:  
2024 CSBG Monthly Expense Disc March 25  
Morris presented the 2025 fiscal reports for the Grant #24F-3007 including Amendments  
This Discussion Item was received.  
APPROVE the 2026-2027 Community Action Plan.  
7.  
25-1696  
2026-2027 Community Action Plan - DRAFT  
Attachments:  
Castle-Barber presented the 2026-2027 Community Action Plan (CAP)  
Zeimer shared that we should meet people where they are, having a one-stop shops to consolidate  
services  
Castle-Barber asked the EOC to add how applicants will serve demographics highlighted in the  
packet, to which members agreed to include verbiage in the RFP to have applicants describe how  
they will reach these populations.  
Lopez asked where the information was taken, to which Castle-Barber answered that the source is  
the census  
Kaushal asked to be able to compare this information with CalCAPAs, to which Castle-Barber  
answered yes she will provide a copy after approving this CAP.  
A motion was made by Zeimer, seconded by Lafrades, to approve the 2026-2027  
Community Needs Assessment and Community Action Plan. The motion carried by  
the following vote: unanimous.  
Motion:  
Zeimer  
Second:  
Lafrades  
Aye:  
Bal, Cisneros, Coleman, Kaushal, Lafayette, Lafrades, Lopez,  
Medlen, Merchant, Peoples-Stokes, Sewell, Singh, Tiglao, and  
Zeimer  
Absent:  
Result:  
Campbell  
Passed  
APPROVE EOC Attendees to the NCAP Conference in Detroit.  
8.  
25-1697  
2025 Annual Convention _ National CAP  
Attachments:  
Kaushal and the fiscal committee proposed a new way to select members who will attend, such as  
tracking which members have already attended and giving members who haven’t attended one  
priority to attend the NCAP Conference  
Zeimer shared a concern about the funding and prioritizing the executive committee to attend  
Molina shared the arduous process of approving budget for travel, so she recommended that the  
people who raises their hand should prioritize their attendance to the NCAP Conference  
A motion was made by Zeimer, seconded by Lafrades, to send Lopez, Peoples-Stokes,  
and Kaushal to the NCAP conference in Detroit with Janelle Lafrades being an  
alternate in case someone cannot go. The motion carried by the following vote:  
unanimous.  
Motion:  
Zeimer  
Second:  
Lafrades  
Aye:  
Bal, Cisneros, Coleman, Kaushal, Lafayette, Lafrades, Lopez,  
Medlen, Merchant, Peoples-Stokes, Sewell, Singh, Tiglao, and  
Zeimer  
Absent:  
Result:  
Campbell  
Passed  
9.  
RECEIVE report on Onsite Monitoring Visit by CSD.  
Castle-Barber presented the report on the onsite monitoring visit by CSD and highlighted that there appear to be  
not findings. The report will come to use in the next few weeks.  
This was received.  
10.  
Staff Report  
Castle-Barber reported that the latest federal budget shows restored funding for Head Start but  
elimination of LIHEAP and CSBG. Advocacy is important.  
11.  
Chair Report  
Medlen met with Assemblymember Wilson, who is a former Head Start participant, about our work and how the  
Legislature can help our work, and continued to invited members to participate with Our Revolution to phone bank.  
12.  
EOC Members Reports  
Tiglao provided an update on bills advocated for in Sacramento:  
SB 411 (EBT for students during prolonged school closures)  
Put on suspense as of May 5th, appropriations committee, will probably die  
Bill analysis found it will cost $2.7 million per school year for the EBT program, plus $3.3 million in  
upfront cost for the eligibility website it wants to build + $3 million in maintenance costs, resulting  
in about $9 million in fiscal impact  
AB 249 (youth specific process for youth facing homelessness)  
As of April 23, referred to suspense file on Appropriations  
Bill analysis found there will be costs to enforcement of this, because state does not fund  
Coordinate Exit Systems  
AB 722 (Reentry Housing and Workforce Development Program)  
As of May 1, referred to Appropriations, next hearing is on May 14  
Bill analysis hasn’t found fiscal impact yet as of April 30, 2025  
Lopez shared the Aging Committee had the Senior Day at the Capitol and shared that maybe we can work  
together, Friday after the next meeting Lopez will hold an event for her nonprofit and invited members to attend  
Singh shared his experience at the Head Start Council  
Kaushal visited George Miller school and shared his experience  
13.  
Next Steps  
Christina will send the poverty demographic table to Nikki Lopez  
Christina will fix #6 on page 26 (pg. 54 on cap)  
Christina will add public health to #9 on page 27 (pg. 55 on cap)  
14.  
Meeting Evaluation  
Covered a lot!  
The next meeting is currently scheduled for June 12 2025 at 6 pm.  
15.  
Adjourn  
Chair Medlen adjourned the meeting at 8:01 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