Amador County 2024-2025 - California Grand Jury Reports

F1: After investigating the City of Jackson's parking enforcement practices, we find that parking laws are investigated and enforced in a timely manner.

Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)

R1: Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1)

R2: The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2)

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES:

F2: Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2)

Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)

R2: The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2)

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES:

F3: The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4)

Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)

R3: To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3)

R4: The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3)

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES:

F4: Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9)

Recomendaciones relacionadas (4)

R7: The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4)

R8: The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4)

R9: The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4)

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES:

F5: The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6)

Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)

R5: The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5)

R6: The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5)

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES:

F6: The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10)

Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)

R9: The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4)

R10: The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026.

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES:

F7: Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12)

Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)

R11: The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7)

R12: The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2,

R24-25: Mid-Year Budget Review presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors March 11, 2025. TABLE D PUBLIC WORKS REVENUES SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Gas Tax and Highway Users Tax $ 2,320,158 $ 2,120,825 State Funding (1) 4,828,108 9,261,973 Federal Funding (2) 1,850,684 4,017,212 TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES $ 8,998,950 15,400,010 $ OTHER REVENUE $ Operating Transfers (2024/25 from General Funds) 822,000 $ 2,970,260 Miscellaneous Other Revenue line items 192,821 311,500 TOTAL OTHER REVENUE $ 1,014,821 3,281,760 $ INTERFUND REVENUE (Road Charges) $ 10,900 1,948,344 $ $ 3,281,014 FUND BALANCE (ROAD CASH FUND) TOTAL REVENUE (forced total due to rounding) $ 11,962,135 21,973,684 $ (1) State Funding: Includes Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funds. SB1 is a legislative package that invests to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety; State Funding also includes $2.3M for a Ridge Road grant in Actual 2023-2024, $6.8M in the 2024-2025 Adopted Budget for the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project and $104 thousand (K) for Road Improvement Projects. (2) Federal Funding: Includes $2.7M for the Carbondale Road & Fiddletown Road Bridges Public Works' Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted revenues increased by over $10M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual revenues. As noted in Table D, some budgeted revenue items increased while others decreased. Material changes are explained below. The County received $2.7M from federal funds dedicated to the Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab and Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement. The State dedicated $6.8M to the State Road 88 Corridor Improvement project (Pine Grove). In March 2025, the California Transportation Commission approved an extension for the construction award deadline to August 31, 2025. This deadline is for receiving construction bids, awarding a contract, and entering into a contract. On April 8, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved the Public Works' request to advertise the project and receive bids. If bids exceed budget, the County can decline the project after reviewing the bids. The project funds are specifically only assigned to this project and cannot be used for any other road repair in the county. The County increased the revenue budget for Public Works with a $2.9M Operating Transfer from the General Fund budget and added an additional $3.3M as a Fund Balance - Cash Account. TABLE E PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 $ 2,741,973 | $ SALARIES AND BENEFITS 3,103,628 SERVICES AND SUPPLIES $ 1,708,478.00 971,657 $ OTHER CHARGES Buena Vista Community Fund 0 255,000 FEMA Storm Damage Repair 595.865 0 Road Maintenance and Rehab 4,444,237 661,294 Public Works Improvement Projects - TBD 2,148,260 0 State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project 86,433 6,800,000 Shenandoah Road Repair 2,649,930 0 Upper Ridge Road Repair 506 0 TOTAL OTHER CHARGES $ 3,994,028 13,647,497 $ CAPITAL FIXED ASSETS 410.686 $ $ 596,957 SPECIAL FUNDED (REIMBURSABLE) PROJECTS Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab 102,550 2,700,000 Old Amador Road Bridge Replacement 311 Fiddletown Road Bridge Replacement 15,850 25,000 TOTAL SPECIAL FUNDED PROJECTS 118,711 2,725,000 COUNTYWIDE COST ALLOCATION PLAN 197,062 192,124 TOTAL EXPENDITURES/APPROPRIATIONS 8,434,117 21,973,684 The Public Works Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budgeted expenditures increased by $13.5M from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 actual expenditures. As noted in Table E, some budgeted expenditure items increased while others decreased. Expenditures with notable budget differences are explained below. The Services and Supplies budget category, which includes road materials, was $971K for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This increased to $1.7M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that more funding for supplies or services that could support road work were allocated. The category Road Maintenance and Rehab for actual work expenses were $661k in Fiscal Year 2023-2024, compared to a budget for 2024-2025 of $4.4M, an increase of $3.8M. This line item does not include Salary and Benefits expenses for road work performed by Public Works staff, which are included in another section of the budget. This budget increase can be utilized for outside contractor road work, or an increase in staff and the associated costs. Public Works did not provide the Grand Jury with a documented plan of how the funds were intended to be spent in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The line item for Public Works Improvement Projects-TBD was zero for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, and is $2.1M for the 2024-2025 budget, indicating that Public Works Improvement Projects not previously budgeted for could be undertaken. Public Works did not have a documented plan for the use of these funds. The State Road 88 Corridor Improvement Project was projected as an expenditure, as covered in the Revenue section of this report. The Carbondale Road Bridge Rehab was budgeted as an expenditure of $2.7M in Fiscal Year 2024-25. The above observations about expenditures indicate that significantly more road work was anticipated for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 compared to the prior year. TABLE F PUBLIC WORKS NET COST SUMMARY OF PUBLIC WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BUDGET Figures rounded to nearest dollar Actual 2023-2024 Adopted 2024-2025 NET COST (Revenues less Expenditures/Appropriations (3,528,018) 0 $ In Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Public Works had a $3.5M budget surplus, meaning that the actual revenues were greater than the actual expenditures. This indicates that the department did not expend all revenues that were budgeted. The timing of major road projects could account for the variance. The Grand Jury also notes that in Schedule 8 of the County of Amador Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there was a $2.6M reserve designated for roads. 2. Statewide Road Funding Sources The 2023 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Final Report (2023 Local Streets and Roads Report) included 338 agencies reporting on their revenue source and pavement expenditures for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The report stated: "Cities and counties identified a myriad of federal, state and local sources of funds for their pavement expenditures. More than a hundred different local funding sources were identified...Traditionally, cities and some counties have been able to rely on the General Fund for pavement funding. However, ...the number of agencies that receive General Funds has decreased in the last two years and is expected to continue in the future. The gas tax is the single largest funding source for cities and counties." of the 2023 Local Streets and Roads Report includes tables with the statewide percent of total funding for pavements from the following sources: GAS TAX: 45% GENERAL FUNDS: 18% 18% LOCAL SALES TAX: OTHER: 19% This illustrates that less than half of statewide counties' funding for roads came from the Gas Tax at the time of this report. Additionally, some counties in the state had successfully passed local sales tax measures. Within Amador County, the city of Sutter Creek passed Measure P in 2024, to establish a 1% city sales tax, some of which was planned to be expended for roads. Amador City passed Measure K in 2024 to establish a 1/4-cent (.25%) city sales tax for transportation improvements. This also allows Amador City to apply for matching funds from the California Department of Transportations' Local Partnership Formulaic Program. 3. Other Budget Observations A. Grants for Roads The Grand Jury's observation is that Amador County continues to make some efforts to increase funding for roads, whether through the ballot measure process, budget increases from the General Fund, or grants. Recently, Amador County obtained a $2.3M grant funded through State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for Upper Ridge Road improvements. Additionally, a Keep Amador Roads Safe grant for $800K with $200K in-kind match16 was awarded, and requests for proposals have been released 17. The grant provides funding to study safety improvements for county roads. Although this study is not specific to road maintenance and repair, the results of the study may generate information useful for future road improvement grant applications. The Grand Jury found that only a small portion of the General Services Administration Grant Writer's time was devoted to seeking road grants. Given the significant road maintenance budget shortfall, additional resource time for seeking grants would be beneficial. When the Grant Writer presented an update on numerous grants to the Board of Supervisors in February 2025, including those mentioned above for roads, the Supervisors gave the Grant Writer direction to make road grants a top priority. B. Mid-Year Budget Review In an Amador County Board of Supervisors meeting held March 11, 2025, a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Mid-Year Budget Review was presented. The County was beginning the budget process for 2025-2026 that will not be concluded until after this Grand Jury's tenure is complete. The Mid-Year Budget Review estimated a $3M county budget deficit for 2025-2026. The review identified multiple options for the Amador County Board of Supervisors to consider to "close the gap," including one option to "consider taking back some of the $4 million of General Fund money that has been sent to Public Works this fiscal year." Board members expressed a desire to 16 Per this Department of Transportation grant, In-Kind Match is cost sharing, where a portion of the total project cost is not paid for with Federal Funds. Per 2-5-25 grant report to Board of Supervisors, Request for Proposals were released. avoid impacting the roads budget if possible. The County Administrative Officer was tasked with working on options for addressing the budget deficit to bring back to the Board of Supervisors. 4. Budget Conclusions As noted earlier, the grand jury only conducted a high-level review of the current year budget compared to the prior year actuals, not a forensic analysis. However, general conclusions can be made based on extensive documentation reviewed and interviews conducted. Overall, the current budget shortfall for roads is an overwhelming issue for Amador County and one that is a challenge statewide. In this investigation the grand jury focused on how Amador County can more proactively obtain funds for roads and improve processes to maximize the funds that are available. The grand jury asserts that formal planning for how currently available funds will be used to improve roads is essential. There also may be opportunities for expanding funding sources and/or reallocating more county funds towards roads. Additionally, revisiting the cost versus benefits of using internal staff and additional equipment compared to outsourcing road work should be explored to identify potential cost savings and increased efficiency in road maintenance processes Amador County Public Works Personnel Resources 1. Staffing Several people interviewed by the Grand Jury cited a shortage of Public Works personnel. Within the last decade, road maintenance crews were reduced from 3 crews to 2 crews, an approximate eight-person reduction in workforce. This has resulted in insufficient staffing levels to complete the road work that is needed. Public Works has experienced challenges related to staff retention. Staff turnover results in increased time spent to onboard and train new employees. During the Grand Jury interviews non-competitive salaries were cited as a contributing factor to staff turnover. Between the period of January 1, 2025 and March 31, 2025, Public Works hired 5 new employees to fill existing positions. Four of these positions are road maintenance crew members and one is a senior project manager. The County outsources paving and other major road work to contractors instead of utilizing road maintenance crews, requiring a bidding process. Outside contractors have the skill levels and equipment needed for larger-scale jobs. The table below summarizes the Public Works Employee Hours for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 year-to-date through February 2, 2025. 18 19 The detailed data in the original report has been consolidated into major categories for clarity and brevity. TABLE G % of Public PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) Total Hours Works Hrs ADMINISTRATION & ENGINEERING 34% 8467 ROAD CREW 14694 58% TRUCK SHOP 2068 8% TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE HOURS 25228 100% % OF ROAD ROAD CREW EMPLOYEE HOURS BREAKOUT CREW HOURS NON-PRODUCTIVE HOURS (1), (2) 2953 20% PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEE HOURS (1) DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 525 4% 393 SHOULDER MAINTENANCE 3% DITCHING 1358 9% ROADSIDE BRUSHING 357 2% CULVERT REPAIRS / MAINTENANCE 1596 11% 592 TREE REMOVAL 4% DEBRIS REMOVAL (TRASH) 161 1% PATCHING 3964 27% ROAD GRADING 169 1% DIG OUTS 505 3% 303 SIGN MAINTENANCE 2% STRIPING 357 2% YARD/SIGN SHOP MAINTENANCE 355 2% SUPERVISOR LABOR 608 4% TRUCK SHOP MAINTENANCE 1% 163 OTHER WORK HOURS (3) 193 1% MEETINGS, etc. (4) 144 1% TOTAL ROAD CREW WORK HOURS (1) 11743 80% (1) Figures rounded to nearest value (2) Non-Productive hours = vacation, sick leave, holiday, comp time, personal leave, etc. (3) Other productive hours = storm damage, vehicle maintenance, other road work; Items with 50 or less hours were consolidated into this category (4) Meetings, etc. = labor contract, safety meetings, etc. Above report is extracted from Amador County Department of Public Works Cost Accounting Management System Division/Activity Report – Summary Report by Act Cd (W/Divsn) Month Posted; Run Date: 02/10/2025 Fiscal YR 2025: 7-1-24 thru 2-10-25 19 This report does not represent a full year; therefore, seasonality can impact employee hour percentages. Of the total Public Works employee hours, road crews accounted for 58% and administration and engineering accounted for 34% of the total. The remaining 8% of employee hours represented truck shop maintenance. Road crew non-productive employee hours accounted for 20% of total road crew hours, which included categories such as vacation, leave, holiday and compensatory time. Road crew productive employee hours covered a multitude of road work types, with ditching, culvert repairs, and patching the highest percentages of work conducted. 2. Training The Grand Jury also received input during several interviews that there is generally a lack of formal training for the road maintenance crews. Much of the instruction is "on the job training." During the Grand Jury investigation, some citizens complained that pothole repairs do not always last very long. Suggestions were made during Grand Jury interviews that Amador County road maintenance workers would benefit from training by Caltrans to determine their materials and methods to maximize durability of road repairs. An analysis is needed to determine how current staff can be better trained to complete more effective repairs. According to the Caltrans website Training & Resources section, Caltrans offers cost-subsidized training classes for local agencies in coordination with the California Local Technical Assistance Program. Communication about Amador County Roads 1. External Communications Members of the public primarily file complaints and road work requests by visiting or calling Public Works, contacting their district county Supervisor, or through the County website. Not everyone interviewed by the Grand Jury was aware that road information could be found on the county website, indicating that the availability of the online process is not well known. Further, the Online Service Request form is embedded on the website under the Transportation and Public Works Department section, making it difficult to find using general searches about roads on the website. In contrast, Calaveras County's website displays road information on the home page, with direct links to a road maintenance schedule and a service request form. Once a complaint or service request in Amador County is submitted either online, via phone message, or in person, the issue is directed to an administrative support person, who then documents the issue either via an email, a Service Request form, or a paper note. The administrative support person then forwards the issue to a Public Works supervisor or a member of the road crew to complete the repairs. Once road work requests have been addressed, individuals who submitted a request are typically not directly notified of the outcome. They are informed only by viewing the road if the work is underway or when the work is or isn't completed. Notification is sent if the request is deemed not currently feasible by Public Works. Internal documentation of Service Request forms is maintained through paper copies within Public Works. The Grand Jury was informed that not all input is formally documented, depending on the type of issue or how the input was submitted. Current road Projects are listed on the Amador County website, embedded in the Transportation and Public Works section, which include major projects, including the Carbondale Bridge Project, the old Amador Bridge Project, the Bell Road Bridge Project, and the SR-88 Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. A list of Completed Projects dating back to 2019 is included. The Grand Jury could not find a comprehensive list of other current scheduled road work on the website. The Grand Jury observed that, despite the multitude of complaints and work requests, there is a lack of formal, regular communication with the community from Public Works, or Amador County as a whole, regarding the current state of the roads. Other information that would be informative for the community would include known roads in need of repairs, the amount of money budgeted for road maintenance, and the future plans and schedule for road improvements. The current lack of effective communication leaves the public unaware of overall road conditions, maintenance priorities, and budgetary constraints. This limits the publics' insight into how funds are allocated for road improvements. The 2024 Measure Q ballot sales tax proposal to help fund Amador County roads, which did not pass, highlights where more information available to voters could have had an impact. Amador County does not have a Public Information Officer (PIO). Several people interviewed by the grand jury indicated that having a PIO would be beneficial, but a lack of financial resources was cited as the reason for the lack of such a position. If budget constraints make hiring a full-time PIO unfeasible, another option is to allocate time from existing staff positions to manage communications about County roads. Alternatively, a volunteer communications committee could be established composed of knowledgeable and engaged community members. This committee could assist by proactively identifying and reporting hazardous or deteriorating road conditions, and coordinating information about roads between citizens, Public Works and the Board of Supervisors. There are low-cost or no-cost communication methods available to the County to supplement town hall meetings, newspaper editorials and regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings, which are currently recorded and posted by a local radio station on Facebook. Examples of road-specific communications methods that could be utilized include having an Amador County dedicated YouTube channel and using social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram. These methods are commonly used by other public entities statewide. These collaborative approaches would not only enhance Public Works' responsiveness but also foster greater public understanding and participation, along with shared responsibility in maintaining safe and reliable road infrastructure throughout Amador County. 2. Internal Communications For ongoing road maintenance and repair work, the road maintenance Supervisor prepares a tentative monthly work schedule, assigning tasks to the road crew. Once the work is completed, it is recorded and emailed monthly to the Public Works maintenance Superintendent and the Public Works Director. The road maintenance Supervisor maintains copies of the tentative monthly work schedule and a list of completed road work. The Grand Jury was not provided with any other reports that would inform the Public Works team about the Department's ongoing priorities and plans for road maintenance. There is an annual report submitted to the Board of Supervisors with general road work categories as required for SB120 funding. The Grand Jury was informed that there are no other regular, specific reports about road conditions and maintenance work that are shared with the County Administrative Officer or the Board of Supervisors. This limits County management's ability to monitor road complaints and service requests and to oversee road conditions, road work scheduled, and road work completed. As a result, County management does not regularly have the requisite information to effectively determine staffing and funding priorities for Public Works. Planning for Improving Amador County Roads 1. Road Conditions Information As noted in the Amador County Road Conditions section of this report, Public Works uses a pavement management system, called StreetSaver, to analyze datasets of field-measured road conditions. The Public Works department only updates StreetSaver with projects considered pavement improvements; therefore, the County largely relies on the output of the system calculations based on data that is not current. Without comprehensively surveying road conditions and updating StreetSaver on an ongoing basis, the County only has a system-generated estimate of road conditions based on modeled degradation. Establishing an ongoing survey of roads and updating StreetSaver as part of road maintenance work will lead to more accurate forecasting, budgeting and scheduling of short and long-term road maintenance. 2. Short and Long-term Planning Tools Multiple respondents in Grand Jury interviews characterized the current road maintenance planning strategy as reactive and complaint driven. Amador County does not currently have a formal multi-year plan that outlines a strategy for prioritizing road repairs. Public Works crews normally operate on a tentative monthly road repair schedule. Those crews are sometimes redirected from scheduled work to respond to a more immediate road issue. This creates inefficiencies such as multiple mobilizations to a scheduled work location. Public Works does not have an ongoing action plan that lists roads requiring repairs or improvements, what staffing and budget is needed, and the forecasted date for completing the work. It is understood that current funding for completing all needed road work in the County is severely inadequate. An action plan would provide a method to define and prioritize the work 20 Senate Bill 1: Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 needed to improve County roads within current budget constraints. Defining the roads requiring repairs and improvements on an ongoing basis can form the foundation for long-term planning. FINDINGS F1. Amador County's lack of sufficient funding to complete necessary road repairs, maintenance and paving has resulted in the deterioration of county roads. (R1), (R2) F2. Due to Amador County's limited use of existing personnel to more proactively seek available road grants, opportunities for funding have potentially been missed. (R2) F3. The Amador County Public Works' current shortage of staff limits the quantity and timeliness of road maintenance and repair work that can be completed. (R3), (R4) F4. Amador County's lack of short-term and long-term planning for the repair and maintenance of roads has resulted in a reactive rather than proactive approach, leading to an ineffective system in which repairs and maintenance occur mainly in response to complaints, rather than being guided by strategic prioritization. (R7), (R8), (R9) F5. The Amador County Public Works' lack of a comprehensive method to assess and document road conditions on an ongoing basis has resulted in the Department's inability to conduct remedial action effectively. (R5), (R6) F6. The Amador County Public Works' lack of producing ongoing, informative reports to County managers hampers the ability to effectively determine staffing requirements, road work priorities and funding needs for Public Works. (R9), (R10) F7. Amador County's lack of effective communication to inform the public about planned road repairs, the response to complaints, and the funding mechanisms for road improvements has led to widespread frustration. (R11), (R12) RECOMMENDATIONS The Amador County Civil Grand Jury recommends that: R1. Amador County Public Works evaluate current internal road work costs versus outsourced road work for labor and material to determine ways to improve cost efficiencies. Evaluation to be completed by January 1, 2026. Execute any process changes by June 1, 2026. (F1) R2. The Amador County General Services Administration and/or Public Works allocate more ongoing personnel time to seeking available road grants. To be implemented by November 1, 2025. (F1) (F2) R3. To increase efficiency, the Public Works Director identify the training needs of current department staff, including that of road crews, and develop a training plan. To be completed by January 1, 2026. Implement plan by March 1, 2026. (F3) R4. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director evaluate current Public Works Department staffing numbers, skill levels, and job responsibilities to make any necessary changes to maximize productivity. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F3) R5. The Public Works Director develop and implement a process to routinely survey and document current County road conditions, based on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), in the Pavement Management Program on an ongoing basis. Process implementation to begin by April 1, 2026. (F5) R6. The Public Works Director determine, from road condition surveys and updated Pavement Management Program data, the roads that require immediate repair. Initial report to be completed by June 1, 2026. (F5) R7. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a 5-year strategic plan, updated annually, for how the County will work to improve County roads to an overall Good condition, per the rating criteria in Table A in the Road Conditions section of this report. To be completed in time for the 2026/2027 Fiscal Year Budget planning. (F4) R8. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development of a short-term action plan, to be developed by the Public Works Director, to improve the County's roads that incorporates current road conditions, prioritizes road projects, includes a forecasted schedule of road work, to be updated at least semi-annually. To be completed by November 1, 2025. (F4) R9. The County Administrative Officer and the Public Works Director oversee the development of an electronic database for entering and tracking road service/work requests and complaints received - from initiation to resolution. To be implemented by October 1, 2025. (F6), (F4) R10. The Public Works director oversee the development of reports, to be provided to the County Administrative Officer monthly and quarterly to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, that includes data for the month and fiscal year-to-date: -Road Work Scheduled – Including which road and type of work -Road Work Completed - Including which road and type of work -The number and type of road service/work requests received and those completed -The number and type of citizen road complaints and damage claims received and the resolution (F6) Above to be completed by April 1, 2026. R11. The Amador County Board of Supervisors oversee the development and execution of a communication plan for enhancing information provided to the public about roads. To be completed by January 1, 2026. (F7) R12. The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director oversee enhancements to the County website so that County road information is on the home page, including direct links to a road maintenance schedule and the online Work Request form. To be completed by December 31, 2025. (F7) RESPONSES Pursuant to California Penal Code §§ 933 and 933.05, the Civil Grand Jury requests each entity or individual named below to respond to the enumerated Findings and Recommendations within specific statutory guidelines. Responses to Findings shall be either: The respondent agrees with the finding. The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefore. Responses to Recommendations shall be one of the following: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary regarding the implemented action. • The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency where applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of the publication of the Civil Grand Jury report. • The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefore. The following responses are required within the above-mentioned statutory period; The County Administrative Officer and Public Works Director: Respond to F1 through F7 and R1 through R12, inclusive • From the following governing body: The Amador County Board of Supervisors: Respond to F1, F2, F4, F6, F7 and R1, R2, R7, R8, R10, R11. APPENDICES: