Score: +8 (8/5/0)

Stanislaus County Grand Jury • 2006-2007

Stanislaus County Fire and Life Saving Services Civil Grand Jury Case #07-34

Published: July 03, 2007 3 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.

Findings and Recommendations 10 findings

There is variation in the quality of training provided to staff.

No recommendations for this finding

There are varying response times and professional capabilities. Minimal standards cannot always be met.

No recommendations for this finding

Increasing population, new technology, legal mandates, rising equipment costs and unnecessary administrative staff duplication add to the financial burden.

No recommendations for this finding

New disaster planning requirements have expanded responsibilities and liabilities requiring closer coordination in the areas of planning and performance.

No recommendations for this finding

City expansion by annexation has markedly weakened the financial base of some rural fire districts making it increasingly difficult for these districts to meet their responsibilities.

No recommendations for this finding

State training mandates have made recruitment and retention of voluntary firefighters more difficult. Costly full time staff must be used to fill the formerly volunteer positions.

No recommendations for this finding

The merger of several smaller districts into fewer but larger areas would offer several benefits. Among them: · Lower administrative costs. The merger of many boards would lower total salary costs of both administrative and professional staff. · More efficient deployment of expensive equipment. Some pieces of equipment would become unnecessary. · More efficient location of fire stations. Given larger areas to protect, stations could be more efficiently placed. · Standardized recruitment and training of personnel. All staff would be held to the same standards of training and competence. · Better use of specialized staff. Specialists in such areas as hazardous materials and fire investigation could be more efficiently deployed.

Related Recommendations (1)

The County Board of Supervisors work with the Stanislaus County Fire Chiefs Association and various district boards to achieve appropriate consolidation of present districts consistent with the most effective and efficient use of manpower and resources.

There is need for an unbiased outside facilitator/mediator to work with all districts to change the current delivery system. 2

Related Recommendations (2)

The County Board of Supervisors share equally the cost of outside expert consultation and/or mediation with the various districts. RESPONSE REQUIRED per Section 933(c) and 933.05 of the California Penal Code Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors 3

No government body has fully accepted the overall responsibility of addressing the need for change in fire and life saving services available to the citizens of Stanislaus County.

Related Recommendations (1)

The County Board of Supervisors assume the leadership role of solving the multiple problems in fire and life saving services.

F10

The Civil Grand Jury believes that any consolidation should occur only after full consideration of financial impact, proper planning and consultation/involvement from all concerned parties including the public.

No recommendations for this finding

Agency Responses 2

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

Board of Supervisors

August 28, 2007 • 18 pages • 7 responses • Score: +2 (+2, 5, 0) View Details ▾

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7 responses to findings and recommendations

There are varying response times and professional capabilities. Minimal standards cannot always be met.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Agree. Finding #3: lncreasing population, new technology, legal mandates, rising equipment costs and unnecessary administrative staff duplication add to the financial burden. Response: Agree with clarification. lncreasing emergency call volume due to population growth, the rising cost of technology and equipment, and the burden of legal mandates such as ABI 127, AB2118 and SB1207 have all impacted the districts financially. However, of the 14 fire districts, more than half rely on all volunteers, including the chief, who may receive a small stipend. Most districts have very minimal paid admini...

Increasing population, new technology, legal mandates, rising equipment costs and unnecessary administrative staff duplication add to the financial burden.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Agree with clarification. lncreasing emergency call volume due to population growth, the rising cost of technology and equipment, and the burden of legal mandates such as ABI 127, AB2118 and SB1207 have all impacted the districts financially. However, of the 14 fire districts, more than half rely on all volunteers, including the chief, who may receive a small stipend. Most districts have very minimal paid administrative staff, if any. Finding #4: New disaster planning requirements have expanded responsibilities and liabilities requiring closer coordination in the areas of planning and performa...

New disaster planning requirements have expanded responsibilities and liabilities requiring closer coordination in the areas of planning and performance.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Agree. Finding #5: City expansion by annexation has markedly weakened the financial base of some rural fire districts making it increasingly difficult for these districts to meet their responsibilities. Response: Agree. There are 13 fire districts with contiguous boundaries with six cities; these cities all have expanding spheres of influence. Where the city and districts spheres of influence overlap, the district's sphere will give way to that of the city, per LAFCO policy. Each annexation causes a shift in property tax revenue allocation; this loss in revenue erodes the district's ability to...

City expansion by annexation has markedly weakened the financial base of some rural fire districts making it increasingly difficult for these districts to meet their responsibilities.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Agree. There are 13 fire districts with contiguous boundaries with six cities; these cities all have expanding spheres of influence. Where the city and districts spheres of influence overlap, the district's sphere will give way to that of the city, per LAFCO policy. Each annexation causes a shift in property tax revenue allocation; this loss in revenue erodes the district's ability to provide service to the remaining area. Finding #6: State training mandates have made recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters more difficult. Costly full time staff must be used to fill the formerly vo...

State training mandates have made recruitment and retention of voluntary firefighters more difficult. Costly full time staff must be used to fill the formerly volunteer positions.

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Agree in part. There are several factors that have led to the decline of volunteer firefighters in this county as well as all over the United States. Recruiting volunteers has historically been based on the need for a community to protect itself. Most people lived and worked in the same community, this is no longer true. Recruiting firefighters must be a Consideration and Approval of Response to the 2006-2007 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Final Report Page 4 continuous, on-going effort. Retaining volunteers is also becoming more difficult. Although the volunteer provides labor at no cost...

There is need for an unbiased outside facilitator/mediator to work with all districts to change the current delivery system. 2

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Sheriffs Department concurs with Finding #8 regarding the Coroner's Facility.

F10

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. Consideration and Approval of Response to the 2006-2007 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Final Report Page 6 The following is the County's response to the recommendations of the Civil Grand Jury Report 07-34: 1. The County Board of Supervisors assume the leadership role of solving multiple problems in fire and life saving services. Response: Fire Agencies are independent and autonomous. Just as cities are governed by City Councils who operate independently of the County Board of Supervisors, each Fire District is governed by a local Board of Directors with both the responsibility and...

Board of Supervisors

August 28, 2007 • 15 pages • 6 responses • Score: +6 (+6, 0, 0) View Details ▾

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6 responses to findings and recommendations

There is variation in the quality of training provided to staff.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. Finding #2: 2006-2007 Office of Public Guardian Personnel: Program Manager II Deputy Public Guardian II • Behavioral Health Specialist II Account Clerk III (2) Stock Delivery Clerk II (3) Stock Delivery Clerk I Account Clerk II (extra-help) • Chief, BHRS Forensic Services/Public Guardian (39% assignment) Response: Agree. Finding #3: The duties and legal responsibilities of the Public Guardian are listed in the California Probate Code and the California Welfare and Institutions Code. <b>Response:</b> Agree. Finding #4: Limited Agreed-Upon Procedures and reports on the Office of th...

Increasing population, new technology, legal mandates, rising equipment costs and unnecessary administrative staff duplication add to the financial burden.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree, in part. The County agrees that in 2003 and 2006 reports were preformed by Certified Public Accountants and Management Consultants Bartig, Basler and Ray. However the following agreed upon procedures were reviewed and make up a majority, not limited as stated in the report, of the procedures for the Office of the Public Guardian. The following procedures were reviewed: The internal controls over cash accounts receivable and accounts payable The internal controls over the conservatees' personal assets The internal controls over court accountings The calculations and allocation of interes...

New disaster planning requirements have expanded responsibilities and liabilities requiring closer coordination in the areas of planning and performance.

Response: Agree Score: +1

City expansion by annexation has markedly weakened the financial base of some rural fire districts making it increasingly difficult for these districts to meet their responsibilities.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. Consideration and Approval of Response to the 2006-2007 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Final Report as it Relates to the Office of the Public Guardian Page 4 Finding #6: Office of the Public Guardian estimates indicate that up to $175,000 in court accounting fees has gone uncollected due to lack of staff. Also undone or not done timely are the following Public Guardian duties: Fee summaries for court accountings Inventory and appraisals Letters to conservatees' creditors Filing Tracking of outside client bank accounts and investments Client medical bills and the research invol...

Response: Agree Score: +1

the application of the criteria has not changed with the decrease in Public Guardian Office staffing. Criteria for the Probate Conservatorship are based on risk and what is in the best interest of the proposed conservatee and the application of the criteria has not changed with the decrease in staff. Finding #8: The 2006 Omnibus Conservatorship and Guardian Reform Act imposes new duties to the California probate system. As a result, additional Public Guardian staff will be needed to accomplish the increased administrative time and effort this new law will require. Response: Agree. Finding #9: ...

There is need for an unbiased outside facilitator/mediator to work with all districts to change the current delivery system. 2

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. Finding #9: The 2006/2007 Public Guardian Budget is $965,030 and is funded from three sources: County match funds Consideration and Approval of Response to the 2006-2007 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Final Report as it Relates to the Office of the Public Guardian Page 5 Service revenue from Public Guardian clients Service revenue from Medi-Cal Response: Agree. Finding #10: The Public Guardian budget decreased from $1,185,310 in 2003/2004 to $1,095,391 in 2005/2006. It then decreased to $965,030 in 2006/2007. <b>Response:</b> Agree, with clarification. The Office of the Public ...