Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Watch

On the agenda for the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors at tonight's meeting:

• Agreeing to use the county's power of eminent domain, if necessary, to acquire land needed for improvements to the Kiernan Avenue interchange with Highway 99. The county could obtain rights of way much quicker than state transportation leaders, a report says. Also tonight, county supervisors will vote on spending $5.5 million for design documents needed for a chance at securing $46.5 million in state bonds set aside for Highway 99 improvements.

• Collecting public comments on emergency shelters and community development block grant programs. The county and its partners received $2.6 million in such money for the fiscal year that ended July 1.

• Holding a public hearing on plans to spend $300,000 in Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funding, down from $368,400 last year. The county hopes to use $100,000 to pay parts of salaries for a district attorney's investigator and two legal clerks, and $100,000 each toward a jail sergeant and a patrol sergeant.

• Accepting $186,400 from the state for immunizations. In the fiscal year that ended July 1, the county gave 10,600 flu shots and 9,600 flu mists, a 54 percent increase over the previous year, and administered an additional 19,000 immunizations. About 94.4 percent of kindergartners were fully immunized, an increase of 2.7 percent from the year before.

• Joining with the county's nine cities to apply for a $1.1 million grant to develop countywide planning documents addressing climate change. The 10 agencies want to create a Regional Sustainability Toolbox aimed at reducing driving, improving air quality, and increasing density and housing affordability.

• Decreasing by $307,800 a contract for inmate health care, because there are fewer inmates. To cut costs, the Sheriff's Department recently closed an Honor Farm wing and released 270 inmates. Correct Care Solutions is paid $7.3 million per year.

• Billing the owner of messy property at 1215 Imperial Ave. in Modesto $1,687 to cover cleanup costs. If not paid, a lien could be placed against the land.

-- Garth Stapley