Tuolumne County Civil Grand Jury 2020-2022 Final Report Summaries Photo by Berry Kercheval, 2022

Recommendations 6

• R1
  The management of HHSA, through the R4. APS should take the lead to develop a Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, should formalized community approach to public advocate for increased funding from federal and awareness, prevention, and education of elder state resources. The State of California recently abuse. The Grand Jury recommends that within six announced a $31 billion budget surplus. The time months the HHSA create a temporary position or seems right to aggressively seek additional funding. hire an independent contractor as a Community Increased staffing should be a priority to address Awareness and Outreach Analyst to address the the previous staff cuts that were not replaced. The apparent lack of community awareness. This Grand Jury recommends that positions to be added individual should analyze the need for outreach should include at least one full time social worker and training, and create a program of written and for APS. This should be completed by the end of social media outreach to inform the public and the calendar year 2022. community at large about elder abuse and the services available to aid and protect seniors over
• R2
  The Grand Jury recommends that the 65 in need of help. The person hired should have a Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors consider background in marketing, skills in communication, an off-cycle increase in the pay level of the and social media marketing, and be able to set up respective social services staff. It is recommended an ongoing maintenance system to annually that a class and compensation study be performed monitor the effectiveness of the efforts. of the parity of salaries be completed and the salary
• R3
  The Grand Jury recommends that APS should prominently placed in the lobby, reception area, or provide formalized training for all new social bulletin board. APS should educate the services staff. This should include training on all management of these agencies about the mission policies and procedures. Continuing education of APS. The Community Awareness and Outreach should be provided for established employees. If Analyst should be directed to implement these on-line training is appropriate, time and resources recommendations. should be provided to the employees during regular work hours. R6. The Grand Jury Recommends that APS should spearhead a campaign to educate Mandated Reporters regarding the methods to recognize and report suspicions of elder abuse. The Community Awareness and Outreach Analyst should be directed to implement this recommendation. Tuolumne Utilities District: Water is Life In drought-susceptible Tuolumne County, water is a critical ingredient for our lives and livelihoods. The county’s largest supplier of water, Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD), was formed in 1992 and has consolidated other water systems and inherited infrastructure, some of which dates back to the Gold Rush. This process of consolidation and acquisition continues as TUD is negotiating the acquisition of historic water rights and infrastructure from Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) that would include reservoirs, power generating equipment, and the Tuolumne Main Canal. The 2020–2022 Tuolumne County Grand Jury investigated TUD to better understand its plans and operations. TUD has previously been investigated by several grand juries over the past decade. Some of the findings and recommendations from the 2019–2020 Grand Jury were disputed by TUD which, when added to the recognized importance of the agency's operations and the significance of its proposed projects and acquisition, prompted the current investigation. Also drawing the Grand Jury’s Photo by Paul Gugg, 2022 attention, TUD has often been in the news and has had frequent changes in general managers and members of the board of directors. The Grand Jury is thankful for the district’s cooperation and impressed by the staff and leaders with whom it had the opportunity to discuss TUD’s critical functions. View full report When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water. - Benjamin Franklin Tuolumne Utilities District: Water is Life Part 1. Finance, Management, and funding set aside in the Fiscal Year 2022 Operations budget. This report, therefore, includes recommendations for improvements in this With regard to finances, the Grand Jury found regard. that TUD maintains its course to keep rates low in accordance with the 2015 rate study; The Grand Jury also investigated TUD’s new however, revenue has not kept pace with the connections policy, finding that the agency has a need to improve its aging infrastructure, offset clear and appropriate new connections process inflation, and ensure the district is positioned to and has not impeded county development capitalize on highly-anticipated and much- through denial of new connections. On this needed grants. Likewise, the Grand Jury found basis, this report includes a commendation to that TUD’s budget is not providing adequate TUD for facilitating new connections, despite the contingency reserve funding, as illustrated by challenges of geography and infrastructure in its the discrepancy between damage from one service area. 2022 storm event compared to the contingency Recommendations
• R4
  The Grand Jury recommends that the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors consider an off-cycle increase in the pay level of the respective jail staff. It is recommended that a class and compensation study be performed of the parity of salaries be completed and the salary adjustments made before the end of the calendar year 2022. Mother Lode Regional Juvenile Detention Facility: A model for youth detention The Mother Lode Regional Juvenile Detention Facility (MLRJDF) opened in 2017. Previously youths whose detention was ordered by the courts for delinquency or criminal behavior were detained in facilities far from the county. Long travel distances and fees were costly for the county, the courts, Probation and Children’s Welfare Services staff, and especially for families. Having a local facility aids family reunification and the return of youths to their local schools and community. Photo by Cynthia Gugg, 2022 Tuolumne County costs, which has reduced The priority of the juvenile justice system is to costs per youth per day to less than other out-of- rehabilitate rather than to punish. Juvenile crime home placements. has decreased in recent decades, but youth detention has an important role in the The Grand Jury commends the leadership and rehabilitation process for many youths. The staff for creating a model program of which we majority of youth who are detained have suffered should all be proud. View full report multiple traumas including abuse, neglect or exposure to violence that may have lifelong Recommendations health consequences. Interventions that address the emotional, educational, behavioral needs of
• R5
  APS should actively contact the agencies adjustments made before the end of the calendar where information about the role of APS would be year 2022. of value. APS should request of these organizations that the APS brochure be
• R6
  The Grand Jury Recommends that APS should spearhead a campaign to educate Mandated Reporters regarding the methods to recognize and report suspicions of elder abuse. The Community Awareness and Outreach Analyst should be directed to implement this recommendation. Tuolumne County Grand Jury Final Report Summaries Tuolumne Utilities District: Water is Life In drought-susceptible Tuolumne County, water is a critical ingredient for our lives and livelihoods. The county's largest supplier of water, Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD), was formed in 1992 and has consolidated other water systems and inherited infrastructure. some of which dates back to the Gold Rush. This process of consolidation and acquisition continues as TUD is negotiating the acquisition of historic water rights and infrastructure from Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) that would include reservoirs, power generating equipment, and the Tuolumne Main Canal. The 2020–2022 Tuolumne County Grand Jury investigated TUD to better understand its plans and operations. TUD has previously been investigated by several grand juries over the past decade. Some of the findings and recommendations from the 2019-2020 Grand Jury were disputed by TUD which, when added to the recognized importance of the agency's operations and the significance of its proposed projects and acquisition, prompted the current Photo by Paul Gugg, 2022 investigation. Also drawing the Grand Jury's attention, TUD has often been in the news and has had frequent changes in general managers and members of the board of directors. The Grand Jury is thankful for the district's cooperation and impressed by the staff and leaders with whom it had the opportunity to discuss TUD's critical functions. View full report When the well's dry, we know the worth of water. - Benjamin Franklin Tuolumne County Grand Jury Final Report Summaries Tuolumne Utilities District: Water is Life Part 1. Finance, Management, and funding set aside in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. This report, therefore, includes Operations recommendations for improvements in this regard. With regard to finances, the Grand Jury found that TUD maintains its course to keep rates low The Grand Jury also investigated TUD's new in accordance with the 2015 rate study; connections policy, finding that the agency has a however, revenue has not kept pace with the clear and appropriate new connections process need to improve its aging infrastructure, offset and has not impeded county development inflation, and ensure the district is positioned to through denial of new connections. On this capitalize on highly-anticipated and much- basis, this report includes a commendation to needed grants. Likewise, the Grand Jury found TUD for facilitating new connections, despite the that TUD's budget is not providing adequate challenges of geography and infrastructure in its contingency reserve funding, as illustrated by service area. the discrepancy between damage from one 2022 storm event compared to the contingency Recommendations