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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Score: +2 (2/0/0)

Sonoma County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Managing Public Properties in Sonoma County Uncoordinated Decisions and Neglect

Published: June 19, 2019 15 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F2, F7, F12, F13

Findings 10 findings

Deferred maintenance of County buildings and other facilities has become so considerable that it requires extraordinary measures and limits management's ability to plan effectively for future facilities. FZ. Sonoma County Capital Assets Policy FA-l fails to provide sufficient reporting for management to determine the extent to which normal maintenance and repairs of buildings and other County facilities are being deferred.

There is no formal requirement that County departmental administrators inform the Board of Supervisors iegarding current-year deferred maintenance decisions on capital assets including cost to the County budget.

Real asset records are scattered over an excessive number ofrecord keeping and asset management sYstems.

General Services, as well as other departments, have yet to take advantage of integrating with the Enterprise Financial System's Asset Management module which provid"s asset tracking, acquisition, maintenance, inventory, and cost-sharing. 10

The true cost of maintaining the County's facilities has been substantially understated for over a decade by deferring needed maintenance.

Deferred maintenance costs are continuing to accumulate to an extent that they constitute a major reduction in asset value not reported in the County's financial statements.

Deferred maintenance contributes to more rapid deterioration of facilities and therefore, in the long run, to higher facilities costs.

F10

Public and employee safety are adversely affected by deteriorating building conditions brought about by deferred maintenance.

F11

The current condition of facilities creates a difficult environment for making future plans and decisions about used and new facilities. Fl2. The County lacks in-house capabilities for determining and setting deferred maintenance valuations. 3. F 1 Capital assets that suffer from significant accumulations of deferred maintenance may be impaired assets for accounting purposes.

F14

The Board of Supervisors has not been able to fully implement the Capital Improvement Plan due to appropriation of funding to other departments.

Recommendations 6

R2

The County Administrator obtain an independent cost analysis and justification of deferred maintenance on capital assets from each department head and present to the Board of Supervisors by March 2020, and following on an annual basis. [F3]
R3

The County Administrator work with department heads to evaluate and take advantage of the EFS Capital Asset Management module to avoid duplication, consolidate data, provide cost savings, and report updates to the Board of Supervisors by December 31, 2019. [F4, F5]
R4

The County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors budget regularly for facility maintenance at levels consistent with recommended industry standards by December 31, 201,9. [F6, F7] 11
R5

The Director of Health Services reduce employee and public exposure to hazards, minimize risks of OSHA and liability exposure by enforcing a higher level of maintenance by December 31, 2019. [F10]
R6

The County Administrator and the General Services Director assign resources such as sufficient staffing for determining and setting deferred maintenance valuations by December 31, 2019. lF 12)
R7

ACTTC review assets with accumulated deferred maintenance and adjust the record of accumulated depreciation if material impairment is found by July I,2020.lFl3l

Agency Responses 3

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Board of Supervisors

December 31, 2019 • 2 pages View Details ▾

PDF

County of Sonoma - Board of Supervisors

September 30, 2019 • 2 pages View Details ▾

PDF

City of Sonoma

June 19, 2019 • 6 pages • 2 responses • Score: +2 (+2, 0, 0) View Details ▾

PDF

2 responses to findings and recommendations

The Director of Health Services reduce employee and public exposure to hazards, minimize risks of OSHA and liability exposure by enforcing a higher level of maintenance by December 31, 2019. [F10]

Response: Will Implement

Score: +1

Recommendation #5 has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future.

Deferred maintenance costs are continuing to accumulate to an extent that they constitute a major reduction in asset value not reported in the County's financial statements.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Recommendation #5 has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future. The City of Sonoma has three separate water zones with isolation valves at each reservoir and an almost entirely looped system. The City just completed in 2018 a Water Master Plan with extensive review and planning for water infrastructure needs. In terms of digitally monitored metering, the 2018 Water Master Plan Update recommended replacing the City's existing hybrid-mechanical system with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to enhance customer service, improve water savings, and provide near real-time...

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Sonoma County Treasurer-Tax Collector Elected County Office