Rowland, Cheryl Blevins

Received and reviewed returned responses to the 2012-2013 Grand Jury Final Reports 2. Reviewed relevant California Government and Penal Codes 3. Compiled statistics regarding the responses FACTS 1. There were nine Grand Jury reports published in the 2012-2013 Final Report.

There were 156 findings and 71 recommendations to the 2012-2013 Final Report.

The following diagrams indicate the numbers of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings, and implementations’ or non-implementation of recommendations made to the responding entities. 5 4. Attached to this report are copies of the responses received as a result of the 2012-2013 Final Report. 2012-2013 Findings 46 71 Agree Disagree 17 Partially Agree Not Applicable 22 2012-2013 Responses 14 22 9 Implemented Not Implemented Requires Study 26 Not Applicable FINDINGS Instructions are provided to all entities from which responses are required. Not all entities responded by the response date, however with subsequent requests to do so all but one entity responded. All entities responding to a report must do so in accordance with California Penal Code §933.05. RESPONSES None 6 SCHOOL BOND MEASURES BACKGROUND The Tulare County Grand Jury (Grand Jury) of 2012-2013 investigated the manner in which School Bond Measures were presented to the voters prior to elections. During past elections, Tulare County School Districts placed bond proposals on the ballot for voters to decide. The measures presented to the voters did not include interest, fees, or other costs associated with those bonds. The Grand Jury investigated and found that the Tulare County Board of Education and the Tulare County Auditor- Controller failed to provide sufficient information to the public. The attached responses explain their reasons for not implementing the recommendations. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 INDIGENT BURIAL PROGRAM BACKGROUND On December 1, 2008, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution regarding an Indigent Burial Policy. This adopted policy with the authority of the California Welfare and Institutions Code § 17009, stated that the County may provide for the cremation/burial of those persons lawfully residing within the County who die without funds, and may provide for maintenance of the graves. The Tulare County Grand Jury investigated and reported on the operations, accounts and records of the offices, departments, and functions of the County related to indigent burials. The Grand Jury found that it was difficult for family and friends to visit their loved ones at the Traver Indigent Cemetery due to locked gates, no postings of visiting dates/hours and no contact phone number. The upkeep of the cemetery was questioned by the Tulare County Grand Jury. The Tulare County Board of Supervisors responded to the Grand Jury’s finding and recommendations with the following: 15 16 17 KAWEAH DELTA MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL BACKGROUND In December of 1999, Tulare County entered into an agreement with the Kaweah Delta Health Care District to provide mental health services to the residents of Tulare County. The Tulare County Grand Jury of 2012-2013 investigated the operations and services of the Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital. Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital appeared to be in compliance with the California Mental Health Services Act as the Tulare County Grand Jury found no serious issues to report on other than the need for psychologists and psychiatrists in Tulare County. The following response will give key facts of the daily operations and activities of the Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital. 18 19 20 HOLDING CELLS BACKGROUND Per Penal Code §919(b) the Grand Jury is mandated to inquire into to operations and management of all public prisons within the County. A report is not required. The 2012-2013 Grand Jury reported on the County Sheriffs and incorporated cities' holding cells. The Grand Jury found that six of the cities used city personnel to clean their holding cells. One city used a janitorial service, and one city used both city personnel and court ordered community service workers. The Grand Jury also found most of the holding cells have an adequate number of security cameras installed for prisoner observation. There were three cities' facilities that either did not have security cameras or an insufficient number of cameras for adequate observation of prisoners. The attached responses address the holding cell cleaning and security camera issues. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 TULARE COUNTY PROBATION JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY Per Penal Code §919(b) the Grand Jury is mandated to inquire into the operation and management of all public prisons within the County. A report is not required. Several past Grand Juries received numerous complaints from Bob Wiley inmates. Those complaints resulted in yearly reports and major improvements to the facility. The 2012- 2013 Grand Jury turned its attention to the Juvenile Facility. The Grand Jury found that the staff was adequate and that the needs of the juveniles were met. Following an inspection of the kitchen area, the Grand Jury found that foods prepared in advance of a meal were not covered before placing them into the walk-in refrigerator. It was recommended that foods be covered to avoid contamination. The attached response addresses what the Grand Jury found during its inspection and recommendation. 42 43 44 45 46 WAR OF THE HORSES BACKGROUND The Justice Committee of the 2012-2013 Grand Jury received several citizen complaints concerning neglected horses located within the boundaries of Porterville. These citizens’ had contacted Tulare County Animal Control and Porterville Animal Control several times. The County and Porterville were both investigating the allegations of animal neglect; however, the citizens believed their concerns were being ignored. The Grand Jury investigated and concluded that Porterville lacked jurisdiction in this Tulare County issue. The attached response explains the unique circumstances surrounding the horses; they were on property located within the boundaries of both the County and Porterville. 47 48 49 MEDICAL MARIJUANA CITY ORDINANCES BACKGROUND California Health and Safety Code §11362.5, also known as the California Compassionate Use Act allows a patient suffering from certain conditions, such as cancer, and his/her primary caregiver, the right to lawfully possess and grow marijuana if approved by a physician. REASON FOR INVESTIGATION Due to controversies between Federal Regulations and California Health and Safety Code § 1137.5, the 2012/2013 Grand Jury investigated and reported on Medical Marijuana Cultivation(farming) within the following incorporated cities: Dinuba Porterville Exeter Tulare Farmersville Visalia Lindsay Woodlake FINDINGS 1. The Grand Jury found that Farmersville and Woodlake are the only two cities that have a Medical Marijuana Ordinance and permit requirement.

The Academic Performance Index score is 836.

The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,649 with a Total Revenue Limit of $1,389,641.

University Preparatory High School welcomes highly-motivated students looking for an accelerated and rigorous academic program that prepares them for college success.

University Preparatory High School students experience their high school years in a college environment, participate in college classes and earn college credits.

Board meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month. 91 9. School Board Agendas are posted on the school web site.

Board meetings are scheduled for the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

The Student Handbook is available in English only.

A Safe School Plan and Preparedness Plan are available.

The Tulare County Office of Education provides support services to the school.

University Preparatory High School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Tulare County Office of Education sponsors University Preparatory High School.

A Parent Agreement Contract, a document requiring parent support, is required to enroll a student in school.

The student graduation rate is 100%.

All classrooms at the University Preparatory High School are equipped with computers.

Students participate in clubs, college readiness, leadership activities, and Cyber Quest, a critical thinking competition.

Students are expected to earn twenty college units for graduation.

Student demographics consist of the following: a. Latinos – 41% b. Black – .02% c. Asian – 0.26% d. White – 48% e. American Indian – .015% f. Filipino - .01% g. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander – .036% FINDINGS: 1. A student that earns twenty college units to graduate will have attained one-third of the credits for an Associate Degree.

Select students, both boys and girls, are taught how to clean up after meals. Cleanup consists of table clearing, cleaning the tables and washing the dishes. Cleanup activities are rotated so both boys and girls learn proper cleaning procedures.

Student demographics consist of the following: a. Black – 1% b. Hispanic – 56% c. White – 39% d. American Indian or Alaskan Native – 1% e. Two or More Races – 1% f. Not Reported – 1% g. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander – 1% FINDINGS: 1. VTEC is an early college, career technical school, offering hands-on education to students.

SCICON students learn about nature from nature itself. They are taught about a variety of subjects from composting to the mating habits of salamanders.

A recently expanded museum has wild animals preserved in their natural state by a taxidermist, in addition to natural stones/rocks, Native American displays, live insects and reptiles, and more. The museum houses a small planetarium that rotates the stars and planets. Students are able to use telescopes to study the night sky.

At one time, SCICON had a rehabilitation program for injured or sick wildlife. This program is no longer available; however, a birds of prey sanctuary continues to be maintained for those birds unable to be released back into the wild. Birds from this program are used to educate the students and are taken for visits to various schools. FINDINGS: 1. School districts, communities and dedicated individuals rolled up their sleeves and went to work building student cabins, roads, hiking trails, instructional areas and a dining facility. Learning not from a book but from nature itself gives students a better understanding of the importance of nature, their environment and their world.

As of August 2013 and at least two months before the first winter storms are due in the San Joaquin Valley, Lake Kaweah was at fifty-three percent of average water level and Lake Success was at sixty-four percent.

Approximately 200,000 acre-feet or 15% of the water is diverted for Salmon per year.

The depth of the water table beneath the City of Visalia has dropped an average of three feet per year over the past twenty-five years. The first ten months of 2013 have been the driest since 1895, according to the National Climatic Data Center. Water levels in many of the state’s big reservoirs remain below historical averages.

The Tulare Irrigation District manages 70,000 acres of water rights East of Visalia to Kings County which include the Kaweah Water Basin and the Friant Water Canals.

The Tulare Irrigation District intends to expand its recharge basin by four-thousand acres at a total cost of $130 million: $18,000 per acre for the land and $15,000 per acre for development. A recharge basin can be as small as twenty acres in size. The Tulare Irrigation District has applied for a grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to build the basins, which may have to sit empty due to lack of rain. 150 31. Agricultural cropping patterns are intensifying. Farmers are planting row crops in the rows between fruit and nut trees in order to have year-round crops which consume more water than previously used by farmers.

The City of Lindsay proposes to construct a levee and excavating a basin at the treatment process plant. The levee and basin would cost the city an estimated $3.8 million, which is not available in their operating budget. FINDINGS: 1. As the shortage of water increases, the costs to water districts to meet the maintenance requirement challenges increase. When water districts raise consumer prices to offset these fiscal demands, the response by the public is to conserve water in order to keep the bills down. This becomes a vicious cycle.