Inyo County Grand Jury
2016-2017
Findings & Recommendations
16 findings
F1:
The concrete floor in the intake area is heavily stained.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Grand Jury recommends a deep cleaning of the concrete floor in the intake area.
F2:
The walk-around deck in the control tower is without a continuous guardrail or warning stripes.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
Continue the yellow and black painted line on the edge of the walk around in the control tower or add on to the partial existing rail.
F3:
The control panel in the tower is outdated and replacement parts are hard to acquire or locate. A new panel could cost upwards of $500,000.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
Set aside or seek funding for the procurement of a new control panel.
F4:
Staff stated that the facility lacked enough isolation/segregation cells.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
Find or create space which could be set aside for additional isolation/segregation cells.
F5:
Printer table in the booking room area has sharp edges, which poses a hazard to both staff and incoming prisoners.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
For staff and inmate safety, either pad or round the edges of the printer table in the intake area.
F6:
Response time can have an effect on the evaluation of the mental state of a subject at the time of booking and incarceration.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
Establish a workable policy with County Health and Human Services staff regarding response time to the facility to assess the mental condition of incoming prisoners at the time of incarceration and/or booking.
F7:
The three-year recidivism rates of the conservation camp system are the lowest in the prison system.
F8:
The OVCC crews provided tens of thousands of hours of community service worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to Inyo and Mono Counties in 2016.
F9:
The annual per capita housing cost is approximately half that of a prison.
F10:
The daily per capita food cost is $3.14 per meal. COMMENDATIONS C1. The Inyo County Grand Jury commends the Owens Valley Conservation Camp for being a highly cost-efficient and well-maintained facility that provides many services of benefit to Inyo County and the State of California. C2. The Grand Jury commends the professional staff of both the conservation camp and CAL FIRE, present and past, for their dedication and commitment to the incarceration and service program. C3. The Owens Valley camp and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection area to be commended for their assistance in fire protection for all unincorporated communities in the county. REQUEST FOR RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code 933.05, timely responses are requested from the following: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Owens Valley Conservation 2016 ELECTION DAY INYO COUNTY CLERK-RECORDER, REGISTRAR of VOTERS PO Drawer F Independence, CA 93526 SUMMARY During September, 2016, the Inyo County Grand Jury (ICGJ) received an invitation from the Inyo County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters, to serve as members of the Election Observer Panel on Election Day, November 8, 2016. Three jurors agreed to serve as Election Observers and visited all of the Inyo County polling places on Election Day. BACKGROUND The Inyo County Clerk-Recorder serves in an elected position with major responsibilities including maintenance of official county files (marriage documents, political files, annual filing of California Statement of Economic Interest forms by 500 county employees and board and commission members, and California Environmental Quality Act filings), recording (real property, tax liens, permanent records of real estate transactions), voter registration and conducting elections. The Clerk-Recorder and staff conduct Federal, State and County elections, and also conduct elections for the City of Bishop, 17 special districts, six school districts, two hospital districts, a community college district, and a resource conservation district. Of the approximately 10,000 registered voters in Inyo County, over 65% vote by mail. METHODOLOGY During the morning of Election Day, the Election Observers jointly observed the operation of the Bishop area polling places at the Tri-County Fairgrounds and the Paiute Professional Building. During the latter portion of the morning, one of the Observers revisited the operations at the Tri-County Fairgrounds polling place. During the afternoon and evening, the Observers jointly observed operations at the Big Pine and Lone Pine polling places, then ended the voting day at the Independence polling place, and observed the carefully and efficiently conducted closing procedures at that polling place. The Observers ended Election Day by visiting the Clerk-Recorder office and observed poll workers returning ballots and other election materials to the Clerk-Recorder and the operation of the ballot scanners by staff and volunteers. The ICGJ conducted a follow-up interview of the Clerk-Recorder in order to gain a better understanding of operations of the office of the Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters. DISCUSSION Signage outside of the polling places assisted voters in their efforts to vote. For first time voters, it would have been helpful if all mailings included polling place addresses and if polling place signage visible to drivers had been placed in the vicinity of the polling places. Although each of the polling places was accessible, since inclement weather can be expected during November election days, ease of accessibility should be considered. At all of the polling places, the volunteer poll workers enthusiastically assisted voters and kept the polling places neat and organized. The Observers met with the Clerk-Recorder at the Bishop Paiute Professional Building polling place and were given a thorough briefing about polling place operations and the use of the electronic voting machine, which is an accessibility requirement. At all of the polling places, the poll workers graciously provided information to the Observers and answered the Observers' questions. It became very obvious to the Observers that the minute details of operations at each polling place and poll worker duties had been very logically and carefully preplanned and prepared. Although the Observers had not participated in poll worker training, it was evident to them that the poll workers had all been well trained. Poll workers very carefully assisted voters in placing their completed ballots into the ballot boxes, and maintained security of the completed ballots. The closing procedures were efficiently handled by the lead poll worker and the other poll workers at the Independence polling place, followed by the lead poll worker double checking the closing check list to ensure that proper procedures had been followed. When the inspector (lead poll worker at a polling place) returned the ballots and other materials upstairs at the Clerk-Recorder office, the staff and volunteers were ready and efficiently checked-in the ballots and other materials. Each of the ballot counting scanners had an assigned team of volunteers to assist the scanner operator with the counting of ballots. As at the polling places, the volunteers were well trained and worked efficiently as a team. Ten to twenty volunteers assist staff from three weeks prior to an election to two weeks after an election. There are 120 volunteers on Election Day, saving the County $8,000. The Clerk-Recorder has recently been able to add another staff member, thus restoring the office's historic staffing level. However, the Clerk-Recorder and Assistant Clerk-Recorder work long hours and haven't been able to take more than a week of vacation at a time since 2013. They would like to provide better service to County residents, provide outreach to the schools and community, including providing Brown Act training for special districts and fire departments. The addition of another staff member to the office would enable the Clerk- Recorder to provide better and quicker service and conduct outreach. Some of the vital computers in the Clerk-Recorder's office are outdated: In order to run a program developed 17 years ago in 2000, the computers are of that era. Therefore, those computers would not be secure for online usage. Additionally, the ballot counting scanners were purchased in 2005 and need to be replaced with modern technology. Because of the high cost of modern technology, the Clerk-Recorder will seek approval from the Board of Supervisors for a more frugal lease arrangement allowing for a contractor to supply, maintain and replace an integrated hardware and software solution to the County's voting technology requirements. The Clerk-Recorder partners with the tribes in the county, assisting with tribal elections by lending the tribes polling booths and signage for tribal elections. FINDINGS
F11:
Although the facility is older, it was clean and appeared to be in good condition.
F12:
The effectiveness of the heating system varied within the building, with some rooms being very cold. A planned boiler replacement project is a priority.
F13:
Individual electric heaters have been placed in patient rooms for patient comfort.
F14:
The parcel tax monies are being used within the guidelines of the tax measure.
F15:
There is a critical need for additional funding to pay off bankruptcy debt, for current operations, and to become solvent.
F16:
At times, there is a delay in patient transfers to other definitive care facilities due to a shortage of EMTs to staff the Lone Pine Volunteer Fire Department Ambulance.
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R7:
The SIHD BOD is encouraged to offer more of the SIHD slide presentations in a variety of venues, and all residents of the Southern Inyo Healthcare District and other interested individuals are encouraged to attend one of these events.
Findings & Recommendations
21 findings
F1:
The Inyo County Jail facility was clean and appeared to be very well kept. The landscaping outside the facility is outstanding.
F2:
As indicated by transferred inmates from the state prison system, the meals provided by the Inyo County Jail are superior in quality to those provided in the state system.
F3:
The Inyo County Jail now provides meals for the Inyo County Juvenile Center.
F4:
New computer legal access programs are now in the jail library replacing law books and other legal documentation.
F5:
Segregation of inmates as to risk classification has helped in making incarceration time safer for both inmates and correctional officers. Approximately 90% of the violence that occurs within Inyo County Jail is caused by 10% of the population. Inmates with mental health issues are those most often involved in physical confrontation. This past year 6-8 inmates met the mental health classification at Inyo County Jail at any given time.
F6:
Volunteer programs such as faith based offerings, Alcoholics Anonymous and General Equivalency Diploma are available to inmates. Moral Reconation Therapy is provided by Inyo County Health and Human Services personnel.
F7:
The average incarceration time for local Inyo County inmates is 14 days. The biggest issue is alcoholism with over half of the incarcerations being held, are due to alcohol. Recent records indicate that prison inmates are serving times within a range from 454 days to a high of 505 days in Inyo County Jail.
F8:
The service belts worn by Sheriff's Deputies and Correctional Officers, with all of their equipment attached, puts stress on their backs, resulting in chronic back problems for some officers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends consideration be given whereby deputies have the option of wearing vests or belts in carrying the 30+ lbs. of equipment that they are required to carry.
F9:
Inyo County encompasses in excess of 10,000 square miles, making it the second largest county in the United States-second only to San Bernardino County. Many times, one deputy is required to protect and serve a very large territory.
F10:
Over the past years some Inyo County Deputies, after serving as a Sheriff's Deputy, opted to join the Bishop Police Department or the Mammoth Police Department, as both have a better pay scale than the Inyo County Sheriff's Department.
F11:
With state funding assistance, the Sheriff's department is able to send qualified deputy candidates to Riverside County Sheriff's Academy. This costs upwards of $50,000 per candidate and involves close to 900 hours of training.
F12:
An immediate concern involving the Inyo County Sheriff's Department and the Inyo County Health and Human Services Department involves the issue of the response to severe mental illness or severe abuse situations. These situations require that as promptly as possible, a mental health evaluation be conducted while the subject is still symptomatic and acting out before the symptoms change. A health care professional needs to respond promptly, day or night, not the next morning or after the mental illness episode has worn off or changed, so that the health care professional can see and evaluate the physical condition and mental symptoms the victims and law enforcement were faced with at the time they responded to the episode. We are told that the Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150 episodes are not being attended to until the next day, if the incarceration took place during non-business hours for the health professionals, by which time the symptoms may have dissipated or changed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends improved coordination between Health and Human Services and the Sheriff's department when addressing mental illness and severe substance abuse cases and responding time by Health and Human Services personnel. COMMENDATION TO THE INYO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT The Grand Jury commends all Inyo County Sheriff's Department personnel from deputies, correctional officer's, clerical staff, support staff and Sheriff for dedication to the work responsibilities required in maintaining an efficient and well maintained jail facility-all on a budget that is deficient commensurate to the work load required.
F13:
Gainful fulltime employment and housing opportunities are not easily accessible to former inmates in Inyo County. The same holds true for all unemployed citizens, including recently graduated High School students.
F14:
Concerns with morale and the practice of the use of traveling nurses to fill positions vacated by local nursing staff and Medical Doctors have not abated. Examples of these continuing concerns include a local nursing union demonstration and Medical Doctors continuing to leave the area and NIH.
Related Recommendations (4)
R4:
The NIH administration should deal with its staff, the Medical Doctors and the community in a more fair, appropriate and responsive fashion.
R6:
The BOD needs to work with the CEO to develop a plan to improve morale within the hospital.
R7:
The BOD and CEO need to improve communication with employees of the hospital and the community.
R8:
The BOD and CEO need to actively seek input from hospital staff, as well as the public concerning the focus and mission of the hospital. STATEMENT ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT The local community should strongly encourage candidates to run for the NIH district BOD who understand the role the hospital plays as a community based institution. RESPONSE REQUESTED Board of Directors of the Northern Inyo Healthcare District . . CARTAGO/CG ROXANE
F15:
The NIH BOD has appointed a new board member from the community to replace a retiring member. The new member's training involved approximately two weeks dealing with budgetary issues.
F16:
Cartago MWC informed Inyo County staff of lack of permitting for the arsenic pond
F17:
LRWQCB followed up with CG Roxane to remove the arsenic pond with specific guidelines for the removal.
F18:
CG Roxane did not comply with guidelines of LRWQCB in removing arsenic pond in providing a plan to the Department of Toxic Substances
F19:
Inyo County was not responsive to citizen concerns until LRWQCB got involved
F20:
Inyo County left no options for the residents of Cartago MWC but to file a law suit to protect their drinking water and surrounding environment.
F21:
CG Roxane filed a counter suit against Cartago MWC this year
Additional Recommendations
2
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Grand Jury recommends a technological upgrading of the electronic control panel in the Panel in the Pod observation tower of the jail.
R5:
The BOD and the CEO need to provide greater transparency to the public concerning budgeting and financial accountability.
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.