Amador County Grand Jury
2022-2023
Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
The propane tank at Howard Park was installed in December of 2020, despite Ione City Ordinance 489 prohibiting its installation.
F2:
A permit to install the propane tank was issued without all departmental approvals.
F3:
Written policies and procedures for overseeing this public works project were not followed, which resulted in lack of adherence to state, county, and city regulations. City of Ione Propane Tank
F4:
Turnover of the City Manager Position in 2020 contributed to policies and procedures not being followed, which contributed to the propane tank installation in violation of the City Ordinance. Continued City Manager turnover resulted in further delays in correcting the violation.
F5:
The generator can be retrofitted from propane to liquid natural gas.
F6:
A secure pipeline can be trenched and connected to the generator from the existing liquid natural gas meter.
F7:
The propane tank was removed on April 18, 2023, more than two years after it was installed (December 2020) and over two years after the City Council acknowledged there was an issue (February 2021).
F8:
There was inconsistent follow-up from City staff when citizens raised concerns.
Additional Recommendations
5
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Grand Jury recommends the City follow policies and procedures to ensure public works projects comply with state, county, and local laws.
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends that any adopted policy and procedure contain a mechanism to bring the new City Manager up to date and inform him or her about all ongoing city projects.
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends the City establish a system to confirm that projects are completed as intended and that they conform to City, County, and State laws and regulations.
R4:
The Grand Jury recommends the City connect the generator to the existing natural gas line.
R5:
The Grand Jury recommends the City establish procedures to ensure that staff prioritizes and responds to reasonable citizen complaints in a timely manner, including those complaints voiced at Council meetings.