Plumas County Grand Jury
2015-2016
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Findings & Recommendations
10 findings
F1:
The Grand Jury commends the Shelter and its employees for the excellent job they are doing to reunite lost pets with their owners and to find new homes for abandoned pets. Their cooperative work with other shelters, the use of the internet, and the use of newspaper ads to achieve these goals speaks volumes about the care and concern the Shelter and employees have for the County’s pet population. They are fulfilling their Mission Statement and Statement of Function.
F2:
The current under-supervised inmate work program raises multiple safety concerns: A. Inadequate staff levels with inmates present create multiple safety issues for the public, employees and volunteers, and animals. B. Inmates have the opportunity to have unsupervised communication and interaction with the public. C. Inmates have the opportunity to obtain and conceal contraband on Shelter property.
F3:
Under-supervised and untrained inmates do not have proper knowledge of care for the animals and may represent a danger to both the animals and themselves. Further, they may have no external motivation to perform to any required standard.
F4:
Given the size of the County, one Animal Control Officer in the field is not enough to protect the public from vicious or uncontrolled animal situations.
F5:
The absence of an approved and implemented Policies and Procedures Manual, lack of regular scheduled staff meetings, and failure to provide annual employee reviews contribute to misunderstandings among employees.
F6:
Non-functioning security camera surveillance is a serious safety concern for the public, the workers, and the animals.
F7:
The emergency generator for the Shelter is not connected to the Shelter’s electrical system, but is operational. In the event of a power outage no heat, air conditioning, or light is available for staff and animals.
F8:
The crematory oven is being used without any regular maintenance or servicing to assure its operational safety, which constitutes a risk to the Facility, staff, public, and animals. No on-site documentation is posted to verify maintenance, service, or operator training.
F9:
The failure to vaccinate all dogs being admitted to the Shelter endangers the health of all dogs at the Facility and in adoptive homes.
F10:
The two large animal exercise yards (approximately ¼ acre each) are not utilized efficiently; the lack of interior fencing allows for only one animal to occupy each of the ¼ acre areas at a time. 2015-2016 Plumas County Grand Jury Report: Animal Services
Additional Recommendations
10
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Grand Jury recommends the Sheriff’s Department and the Board of Supervisors commend Shelter employees and volunteers for their excellent work, caring for, placing for adoption, and locating owners for the animals.
R2:
A. The Grand Jury recommends the Sheriff suspend the inmate work program until the Risk Management Department evaluates the safety and security issues stated in this report: 1) Potential risk to the public, employees and volunteers, and animals at the Facility 2) Unsupervised communication and interaction with the public 3) Opportunity to obtain and conceal contraband at the Facility B. The Grand Jury recommends that during the time of addressing inmate safety and security concerns, the Board of Supervisors approve funding for the Sheriff to hire a full-time kennel worker to perform the duties that had been assigned to the inmates.
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends that, if an inmate worker program is to be re- implemented, the Sheriff’s Office first develop a written policy clearly defining screening and training requirements prior to re-implementing that policy.
R4:
The Grand Jury recommends the Sheriff add an additional Animal Control Officer to the staff of the Shelter.
R5:
A. The Grand Jury recommends the County Human Resources Director work with the Sheriff to finalize the Animal Services Policy Manual and assure its use in training employees, volunteers, and, if applicable, inmates. B. The Grand Jury recommends that the Sheriff’s Department provide all Animal Services employees with current job descriptions, including expectations of job performance. C. The Grand Jury recommends that the Sheriff’s Department conduct annual reviews of each Animal Services employee to evaluate job performance. D. The Grand Jury recommends formal staff meetings between the Department head and Shelter employees on a monthly basis, with attendance mandatory. Employees should be allowed to add items to the agenda for discussion.
R6:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors direct Building Maintenance to repair or replace the surveillance camera system with recording capability and arrange for its regular maintenance.
R7:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors direct Building Maintenance to properly install the existing emergency generator and provide regular maintenance. 2015-2016 Plumas County Grand Jury Report: Animal Services
R8:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors allocate and implement regular maintenance and servicing of the Animal Services crematory oven by qualified personnel according to manufacturer’s specifications.
R9:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct and allocate the Sheriff’s Department to provide the Shelter with the means to provide basic vaccinations to new animals brought into the Facility.
R10:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors direct and allocate monies to install interior fence partitions for the two large exercise yards to allow for multiple animals to use the outside yards.
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Findings & Recommendations
17 findings
F1:
The Plumas County Organizational Chart is outdated, demonstrating a lack of organizational clarity and direction by the Board of Supervisors.
F2:
The job description for CAO was written in 1999. A current CAO job description has not been developed that reflects the needs of the County and the Board.
F3:
By not hiring a CAO the Board of Supervisors has assumed some of the CAO responsibilities and shifted some to Elected Officials and Department Heads, leaving unclear areas of responsibility.
F4:
CAO responsibilities have not been reassigned with updated Department Head/Elected Official job descriptions.
F5:
The Plumas County Code of Ordinances establishes the position of CAO; the position and responsibilities are an integral part of all written County policies. No attempt has been made to fill the position or correct the Ordinance.
F6:
Several Board members reported the Board had difficulty managing the CAO; no clear policy with regard to Board oversight and management of a CAO exists.
F7:
The Board has stated the rationale for not hiring a CAO has been a lack of budget funds. Alternate sources of funding have not been addressed.
F8:
Two of the past four Grand Juries recommended that the Board of Supervisors fill the CAO position. Most of the Supervisors and the majority of department heads interviewed said that the County would operate better with a CAO.
F9:
Current, accurate job descriptions for all County positions are a necessary management tool for evaluating the performance of employees, but are not consistently in place.
F10:
The Board of Supervisors has not followed their written policies requiring annual performance reviews for Department Heads (first adopted in 2000 and re-adopted in 2015).
F11:
The Board of Supervisors did not have a backup plan for replacing the jail when they failed in their attempt to qualify for State Grant funds in 2015. The Grand Jury could find no evidence of a current financial plan in place to replace the jail.
F12:
The County is losing revenue based on: A. Loss of TOT tax revenue B. Lack of opportunities to be informed of possible revenue through non- participation in the CAOAC C. Loss of County and State sales tax revenue due to the County’s purchasing outside the County and State 2015-2016 Plumas County Grand Jury Report: The State of Plumas
F12A:
Recommendation 12A Invited Responses The Sheriff is invited to respond to:
F13:
The Board of Supervisors has no formal method of passing institutional knowledge to newly elected Board Members.
F14:
There is no formal procedure for handing off information from an incumbent Chairperson or Supervisor to his/her successor.
F15:
One Supervisor actively pursues knowledge of other supervisorial districts by visiting the districts.
F16:
County residents often have difficulty attending regular Supervisorial meetings, due to travel and work schedules. Additionally, the format of the meetings makes it difficult to ask questions or contribute input to local government.
Additional Recommendations
17
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors and Human Resources update the Plumas County Organization Chart so that it reflects accurately the County’s current chain of command.
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors and Human Resources write a job description for a CAO that reflects the current needs of the County and the Board.
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends that in the current absence of a CAO the Board of Supervisors establish clear written guidelines for assigned CAO responsibilities.
R4:
The Grand Jury recommends that in the current absence of a CAO the Board of Supervisors and Human Resources update Department Head/Elected Official job descriptions to reflect reassigned CAO responsibilities.
R5:
The Grand Jury recommends that Board of Supervisors follow the established Plumas County Code of Ordinances regarding a CAO.
R6:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors establish a written policy regarding Board oversight and management of a CAO.
R7:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors fund the CAO position this year out of the General Fund and/or utilize alternate funding from non-general fund sources.
R8:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors follow the recommendations of this and past Grand Juries to hire a CAO.
R9:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors and Human Resources review all, and when appropriate rewrite, County job descriptions so that they accurately reflect and describe the duties of each office and employee. 2015-2016 Plumas County Grand Jury Report: The State of Plumas
R10:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors follow their existing policies and conduct annual performance reviews of Department Heads.
R11:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors establish a clear plan to fund and locate the needed new Plumas County Jail, and ensure that monies currently assigned for the jail remain available for the purpose of replacing the jail.
R12:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors: A. Direct the Treasurer/Tax Collector to identify uncollected TOT revenues and see to the consistent collection of those taxes; B. Direct the CAO or a representative of the County to attend CAOAC conferences.
R12A:
Invited Responses The Sheriff is invited to respond to:
R13:
The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors create written policies and procedures for: A. Educating and informing new Board Members in the responsibilities and rules governing the Board; B. Apprising new Board Members about current Board issues, District-wide and County-wide.
R14:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors create a formal procedure for passing information from an incumbent Chairperson to his/her successor.
R15:
The Grand Jury recommends that, in order to inform themselves of other County Districts’ needs and concerns, each member of the Board of Supervisors spend a minimum of one day per year in each of the other four Districts in the company of that District’s Supervisor.
R16:
The Grand Jury recommends that each District Supervisor conduct a Town Hall meeting in his or her District at least quarterly to insure that all County residents have an opportunity to address individual Board members, and to encourage citizens to participate toward the health of the County. 2015-2016 Plumas County Grand Jury Report: The State of Plumas