Fresno County Grand Jury
2024-2025
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Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
Not all City of Fowler Public Works, Water Department operators knew written procedures and/or checklists existed for their day to day operation tasks as the procedures were recently developed for the department by the new Public Works Director.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
Training for all Public Works, Water Department operators, including written procedures and/or checklists, should be disseminated and implemented for ease of access, continuity and succession planning by the City of Fowler’s Public Works Director by March 31, 2026. (F1)
F2:
The City of Fowler’s water reports are submitted occasionally late to SWRCB due to the absence of the report deadline checklists to remind users.
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R2:
The City of Fowler’s Public Works Director should develop a process and or procedure to ensure required water board reports are completed and returned on time to the California State Water Resources Board by October 31, 2025. (F2)
F3:
The City of Fowler Public Works, Water Department website information is not organized in a user friendly, searchable format and is outdated, with the most recent reports not being added in a timely period.
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R3:
The City of Fowler Public Works, Water Department webpage should be improved making it more user friendly, accessible and straightforward to easily find all water information and important links to enhance transparency by the City of Fowler’s Public Works Director by March 31, 2026. (F3)
F4:
A maintenance and budget plan for the ongoing operation of the soon to be installed GAC filtration system in the City of Fowler has not been developed.
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R4:
A maintenance and budget plan for the ongoing operation of the soon to be installed GAC filtration system should be developed by the City of Fowler’s Public Works Director by March 31, 2026. (F4)
F5:
While only one of the City of Fowler’s six wells is above the CA-MCL for TCP, all wells, including the TCP contaminated well, must be utilized to satisfy consumer demands and fire protection requirements.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5:
The City of Fowler Public Works, Water Department should proactively develop plans to increase water system capacity and fire protection needs through new well development, distribution interconnectivity and above ground storage facilities that would assist in providing potable water to Fowler citizens if TCP contamination extends to another City of Fowler water well by March 31, 2026. (F5, F6)
R6:
The City of Fowler Public Works, Water Department should identify and establish a water sampling location(s) within the distribution system (apart from well sources mandated by SWRCB) and use the location(s) to begin compiling water quality data from quarterly water samples by September 30, 2025. (F5) 10
F6:
The City of Fowler has been aware of elevated TCP levels in Well #7 since 2018; however, funding to mitigate TCP contamination was delayed because of litigation. 9
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
The City of Fowler Public Works, Water Department should proactively develop plans to increase water system capacity and fire protection needs through new well development, distribution interconnectivity and above ground storage facilities that would assist in providing potable water to Fowler citizens if TCP contamination extends to another City of Fowler water well by March 31, 2026. (F5, F6)
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Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
Funding is sensitive as it comes from Federal and State sources (Medi-Cal and grants), yet there is no contingency plan defining how spending will be cut at DBH in the event of funding cuts.
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R1:
The Director of Behavioral Health should create a written contingency plan to define cuts in service in the event there are cuts in funding by January 31, 2026. (F1)
F2:
There is no formal system of vertical communication for DBH employees to ask questions or make suggestions and have a guaranteed response from upper management.
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R2:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should create a vertical communication system enabling field level staff to communicate concerns and suggestions to the Deputy Director / Director level of management by December 31, 2025. (F2)
F3:
The transition to SmartCare Electronic Health Record (EHR) software system has created more issues for DBH than anticipated. 3 https://www.fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Behavioral-Health/For-Professionals/Quality-Improvement/ Annual-Beneficiary-Grievance-Appeal-Reports 7
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R3:
An employee proficient in SmartCare should be identified by the Director of Behavioral Health as the subject matter expert (SME) to provide as needed training or assistance to all DBH Employees by December 31, 2025. (F3)
F4:
DBH Field Clinicians lack sufficient training to enhance their safety and effectiveness.
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R4:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should develop a formal training program for all new hires based on their administrative or professional category by March 31, 2026. (F4) 8
F5:
DBH’s Field Clinicians have no current information regarding known violent tendencies or criminal history of their patients prior to meeting with them.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should develop a formal training for all field clinicians, with annual refresher training based on current needs, including a hands-on self defense course and make it available to all field staff who encounter clients by March 31, 2026. ( F4)
R6:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should create a flag in the Smart Care System which identifies known violent tendencies and criminal history of the clients by March 31, 2026. (F5)
F6:
There are insufficient or outdated supplies provided to DBH clinicians working in environments outside of the office including complete first aid kits and Narcan.
Related Recommendations (2)
R7:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should implement a resupply system that ensures all first aid kits in DBH vehicles are fully stocked and updated by January 31, 2026. (F6)
R8:
The Director of Behavioral Health should require that field staff be provided with Narcan, based on the potential Fentanyl and Opioid exposure in the field by January 31, 2026. (F6)
F7:
DBH is not maintaining the most current information on its website as reports located on the website are aged and require updating.
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R9:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should conduct a yearly audit of each link and button on the DBH website to ensure reports and information contained on the website are up to date by January 31, 2026. (F7)
F8:
The Auditor - Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office and DBH Finance/Accounting division have a different perception as to the timing of reimbursements into the County’s general fund.
Related Recommendations (2)
R10:
The Director of Behavioral Health or his/her designee should schedule monthly meetings with the County Auditor/Controller’s Office to timely resolve any accounting issues by December 31, 2025. (F8)
R11:
The Director of Behavioral Health should develop a clear written procedure regarding the timing of reimbursement from DBH to the County general fund by December 31, 2025. (F8) 9
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Findings & Recommendations
10 findings
F1:
Over the last 30 years, many changes have been made to Fresno County property tax bills; however, bill complexity has increased with a corresponding decrease in transparency as more special assessments appear on property tax bills.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector should prioritize and acquire a new software system that will replace the COBOL-based system currently used. The software should be acquired by June 30, 2026. (F1 - F3, F9)
R3:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should repair and update the website ( Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector - County of Fresno ) to 10 provide better transparency for property owners. Repairs and updates should at the minimum include: 1) A webpage or partial webpage that provides information about special assessments that is also linked to a functional ‘Sample Tax Bills and Notices’ webpage. 2) A question / answer on the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ webpage relative to special assessments, noting where to find more information. 3) A functioning link to the ‘ Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector document library for public resources ’ ( A CTTC Publications - County of Fresno ). 4) A functioning link to the current County of Fresno Tax Rate Book. These repairs and updates should be completed no later than October 1, 2025. (F1, F6)
R6:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should modify the new and subsequently printed versions of ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book’ to include ‘Dollar Amount,’ and ‘Maturity Date’ columns and associated data in both the secured and unsecured tax rate tables to improve transparency. The new information should be included in the tables by November 1, 2025. (F1, F7, F8, F10) 11
F2:
Preparation of property tax bills requires coordination between the offices of the Fresno County Assessor and the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector as well as school districts that have levied taxes on voter-approved bonds.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector should prioritize and acquire a new software system that will replace the COBOL-based system currently used. The software should be acquired by June 30, 2026. (F1 - F3, F9)
F3:
Due to the declining number of educational institutions teaching COBOL, the problem of maintaining and coding the Fresno County legacy property tax program will only increase over time.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector should prioritize and acquire a new software system that will replace the COBOL-based system currently used. The software should be acquired by June 30, 2026. (F1 - F3, F9)
R2:
As a measure to improve transparency, the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should implement the following additions to Fresno County property tax bills: 1) Columns and associated data for ‘Start Date,’ ‘Dollar Amount,’ and ‘Maturity Date’ should be added for all special assessment line items. 2) Internet address printed on bill stock directing property owners to a functional ‘Sample Tax Bills and Notices’ webpage at the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office website. These changes to the Fresno County property tax bill should be implemented by December 1, 2025. (F3, F6)
F4:
Personnel listed for informational contact on property tax bills are unable to provide specific information on special assessments to property owners because they can’t understand the titles placed on the property tax bill by the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should provide a key / legend for the special assessment codes appearing on property tax bills to all school districts levying taxes for bond obligations that will assist school district contact personnel in providing information to property owners. This key / legend should be made available by October 1, 2025. (F4)
F5:
Informational contact phone numbers placed on property tax bills to assist property tax owners with questions about special assessments are sometimes non-functional.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should examine and update annually the contact phone numbers of all 5000 series tax code entities on the Fresno County property tax bill and in the County of Fresno Tax Rate Book. These examinations and updates should be completed by November 1, 2025. (F5)
F6:
The website of the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office offers no searchable link to ‘special assessment’ when queried, and several pages of the website have remained non-functional throughout the duration of this investigation.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2:
As a measure to improve transparency, the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should implement the following additions to Fresno County property tax bills: 1) Columns and associated data for ‘Start Date,’ ‘Dollar Amount,’ and ‘Maturity Date’ should be added for all special assessment line items. 2) Internet address printed on bill stock directing property owners to a functional ‘Sample Tax Bills and Notices’ webpage at the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office website. These changes to the Fresno County property tax bill should be implemented by December 1, 2025. (F3, F6)
R3:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should repair and update the website ( Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector - County of Fresno ) to 10 provide better transparency for property owners. Repairs and updates should at the minimum include: 1) A webpage or partial webpage that provides information about special assessments that is also linked to a functional ‘Sample Tax Bills and Notices’ webpage. 2) A question / answer on the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ webpage relative to special assessments, noting where to find more information. 3) A functioning link to the ‘ Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector document library for public resources ’ ( A CTTC Publications - County of Fresno ). 4) A functioning link to the current County of Fresno Tax Rate Book. These repairs and updates should be completed no later than October 1, 2025. (F1, F6)
F7:
The ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book,’ compiled annually by the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office, provides a complete and properly titled listing of all outstanding bond obligations for Fresno County school districts. 9
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should modify the new and subsequently printed versions of ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book’ to include ‘Dollar Amount,’ and ‘Maturity Date’ columns and associated data in both the secured and unsecured tax rate tables to improve transparency. The new information should be included in the tables by November 1, 2025. (F1, F7, F8, F10) 11
F8:
The 2024 - 2025 version of the ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book’ was unavailable to Fresno County property owners at the time of the property tax bill issuance, and was still unavailable at the end of April 2025.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should modify the new and subsequently printed versions of ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book’ to include ‘Dollar Amount,’ and ‘Maturity Date’ columns and associated data in both the secured and unsecured tax rate tables to improve transparency. The new information should be included in the tables by November 1, 2025. (F1, F7, F8, F10) 11
F9:
The offices of the Fresno County Assessor and the Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector are collaborating to identify an appropriate vendor to supply a client-based software system that will replace the COBOL-based legacy program.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector should prioritize and acquire a new software system that will replace the COBOL-based system currently used. The software should be acquired by June 30, 2026. (F1 - F3, F9)
F10:
The 2023-2024 ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book’ is compiled in a manner such that additional information (dollar amount of bond, year of bond maturity) could be easily inserted into the tax rate tables for voter-approved bond obligations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
The Fresno County Auditor-Controller / Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office should modify the new and subsequently printed versions of ‘County of Fresno Tax Rate Book’ to include ‘Dollar Amount,’ and ‘Maturity Date’ columns and associated data in both the secured and unsecured tax rate tables to improve transparency. The new information should be included in the tables by November 1, 2025. (F1, F7, F8, F10) 11
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Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
Presently serving elected school board members were uncertain whether Brown Act/Ethics training was a requirement as a board member.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) 7
F2:
Presently serving elected school board members were unaware of the consequences which could arise from violating the Brown Act.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) 7
F3:
Brown Act training is among the core content topics required in any curriculum to satisfy AB 1234 training requirements.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1:
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) 7
R2:
The Fresno Unified School District Board of Education should ensure no later than September 31, 2025, that curricula developed or utilized to comply with AB 1234 training for their elected school board members contain all the core content topics identified in Fair Political Practices Commission Regulation 18371. (F3, F4)
F4:
As per requirements of AB 2158, local school districts are responsible to provide an AB 1234 training curriculum to the elected school board members that includes all core content topics identified in Fair Political Practices Commission Regulation 18371.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1:
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification to the governing boards of all Fresno County school districts to indicate the following: 1) AB 2158 mandates two hours of public service ethics laws training every two years for all elected school board members. 2) All elected school board members must complete AB 1234 training by December 31, 2025 unless their term of office ends before January 1, 2026. 3) That records pertaining to AB 1234 training of elected school board members are public records, and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. (F1 - F4) 7
R2:
The Fresno Unified School District Board of Education should ensure no later than September 31, 2025, that curricula developed or utilized to comply with AB 1234 training for their elected school board members contain all the core content topics identified in Fair Political Practices Commission Regulation 18371. (F3, F4)
F5:
Within Fresno County, presently serving elected school board members were receptive to developing an onboarding checklist to assist in identifying when state-mandated training requirements are completed by newly elected board members.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The Fresno County Superintendent of Schools should provide no later than September 1, 2025, a courtesy notification advocating that Fresno County school districts each develop and implement an onboarding checklist for newly elected board members to identify and monitor state-mandated training requirements. (F5)