Gran Jurado del Condado de Butte
2024-2025
From the annual report
The consolidated year-end volume. The individual investigations it contains are listed separately below.
📑 Continuity Report
Compliance and Continuity Report
From the consolidated annual report · 2 páginas
Individual reports (4)
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
2 hallazgos
F1:
Expenditures proceeded without budgeted line items, proper documentation, or council approval.
F2:
Tenants occupied the Industrial Park without current, valid lease agreements.
Recomendaciones adicionales
4
No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.
R1:
- The Grand Jury recommends that the City Council of Biggs complete a comprehensive fiscal audit of the Biggs Industrial Park by January 1, 2026. The City Council should initiate an independent fiscal audit reviewing all expenditures, labor allocations, and vendor relationships related to the Industrial Park, including but not limited to: • Complete financial reconstruction of all Industrial Park expenditures from July 2023 to present • Analysis of authorization processes for each transaction • Verification of work performed against payments made • Documentation of all materials and labor provided by city staff
R2:
- The Grand Jury recommends that the City of Biggs establish and maintain accurate financial records for the Industrial Park operations by December 1, 2025. The City should implement a system where public records of Industrial Park financial activities are maintained and updated on a monthly basis, including all revenues, expenditures, and outstanding obligations.
R3:
- The Grand Jury recommends that the City of Biggs complete lease standardization and legal review for all Industrial Park tenancies by December 1, 2025. All new and existing leases must be standardized, legally vetted, and approved in open session before new or continued tenant occupancy/operations, including but not limited to: • Market-based rate structure with transparent justification • Standardized insurance and liability requirements • Establishment of formal tenant recruitment and approval process • Consistent terms and conditions across all leases • Defined process for lease review and renewal A public registry of all city leases should be created and maintained by city administrators and made available to the public for review. 18
R4:
- The Grand Jury recommends that the City of Biggs execute current, legally compliant lease agreements for all Industrial Park tenants by January 31, 2026. Valid lease agreements must be in place for all existing tenants, with no exceptions for verbal agreements or expired contracts.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
7 hallazgos
F1:
Butte County Public Works is responsible for and can be authorized by CDFW to clean all ditches for the citizens of Butte County, including Palermo. This will ameliorate the flooding causing school closings, business losses, car accidents, street obstructions, and health hazards.
F2:
A small stormwater drainage system at Lincoln and Palermo Road is inefficient and insufficient to move water out of that area, causing potholes and risk of car accidents in this heavily trafficked area.
F3:
Palermo Citizens deserve clean, safe streets and a community that is protected from annual flooding by having ongoing maintenance of Butte County-owned infrastructure.
F4:
Palermo infrastructure improvement projects addressing flooding issues are not included in the 2024 Butte County Public Works Infrastructure Master Plan. Example: Palermo Four Corners Storm Water Drain System Project
F5:
Butte County Water Resources and Conservation Department has shown admirable initiative in trying to solve the flooding in Palermo, including an excellent study by West Yost. 44
F6:
Butte County Public Works has grant writing expertise but sometimes must also rely on outside grant writers with its implied additional expense. Other county departments rely mainly on outside grant writers but would favor using county grant writer staff who are currently overworked.
F7:
Neglect or delays in the implementation of solutions have resulted in business losses for Palermo and a lack of trust and confidence among its citizens.
Recomendaciones adicionales
9
No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.
R1:
Public Works District 6 By October 1, 2025 $50,000--100,000
R2:
Public Works District 6 By September 30, 2025 Staff time
R3:
Public Works Annual by March 31 Staff time
R4:
Public Works District 6 By August 1, 2025 $10,000--20,000
R5:
Public Works By May 1, 2026 $25,000--50,000
R6:
Board of Supervisors By October 15, 2025 Staff time
R7:
Board of Supervisors By November 1, 2025 Staff time 46
R8:
Butte County By October 31, 2026 $80,000- 120,000/year
R9:
Board of Supervisors By May 31, 2027 Staff time APPENDIX: PRIORITY DRAINAGE CLEANUP PLAN Required Action: Remove all cattails and vegetation on ditch banks and bottoms (as in 7059 Perkins Avenue) Resource Estimates: a crew of 8 from Public Works could clear approximately 10,000 feet of drainage ditch with light vegetation in 2 days. Heavy vegetation will slow progress. But the use of specialized equipment like the Rotary Ditch Cleaner GR70 or similar would significantly expedite ditch cleanup work. Summer 2025 Priority Sections (estimated lengths) 1. High Priority (800 feet) -- Perkins Ave to Palermo Ave 2. Critical Flow Path (1,300 feet) -- South Villa to Railroad Ave 3. Main Drainage (1,300 feet) -- Railroad Ave to Wyman Tributary 4. Critical Intersection Clearance of Perkins-- 20 ft upstream/downstream at: a. Palermo Rd b. Kenilworth Rd c. Williams Rd d. Ludlum Rd 47
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
1 hallazgos
F1:
The Butte County Grand Jury commends the Feather River Recreation and Parks District for allocating funding, executing the renovation of the Palermo Pool, and starting construction on July 6th, with anticipated completion by August 6, 2025. 55
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
7 hallazgos
F1:
Dry wells in parcels on the East side of Palermo imply that residents must have water delivered to them paid for by temporary grants obtained by EH.
F2:
County Environmental Health does not provide maps with the location of reported dry wells and new well permits, thus not keeping Butte County residents informed of issues arising in their neighborhood. 30
F3:
Flooding causes septic failures and contamination of coliform bacteria and high nitrates in stormwater, generating a continuous health hazard.
F4:
Many citizens are unaware of the Butte County Connect website (or its replacement), to report issues to the County that can be traced by logs.
F5:
There has not been prompt, targeted communication to citizens about the status of stalled projects.
F6:
Wyandotte Basin GSA must sponsor and collaborate on projects addressing dry wells and water quality as mandated by SB 552
F7:
Neglect and delays in execution of solutions have caused Palermo citizens disbelief and despair.
Recomendaciones adicionales
7
No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.
R1:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Water & Resource Conservation Department communicate to citizens the status of Palermo Projects, when milestones are or are not reached by December 31, 2025.
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Wyandotte Creek GSA Advisory Committee or Water Commission TAC include a local well-driller who will provide empirical knowledge of groundwater availability by September 2025.
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends that SFWPA connect water to all parcels in Palermo, which will reduce groundwater depletion and provide potable water, by September of 2027.
R4:
The Grand Jury recommends that Environmental Health prepare and publish quarterly and annual reports of dry wells and well permits in Butte County include maps with their locations by September 2025.
R5:
The Grand Jury recommends that LOAPUD extend sewer services to Palermo by December 31, 2027.
R6:
The Grand Jury recommends that Butte County Administration utilize Facebook, public noticeboards at USPS, flyers at public gatherings to remind Butte County citizens that they should report issues via County Connect website, or its replacement, to log requests for work that must be expedited by December 31, 2025. 31
R7:
The Grand Jury recommends that the District 1 Supervisor, Public Works director, Water & Resource Conservation Director, Environmental Health Director, and 3 Palermo citizen representatives (including a Palermo Community Council member) meet quarterly as a Palermo Task Force formed by October 2025 for a minimum of 3 years.