⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ 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: F7
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
Each member of the Board of Supervisors expressed in one manner or another, their interest in having an open and more transparent relationship with their constituency. The Grand Jury discussed the mechanics of how the Board members could provide that accessibility and transparency.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Grand Jury recommends the Board take the following steps in order to accomplish that accessibility: publish a weekly notice in the newspaper that includes the Clerk of the Board's and their own telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and business hours. In addition, we highly recommend they conduct quarterly town hall style meetings, with time, place and agenda published in the newspaper.
F2
Although the California Association of County Governments states that "The Board oversees most of the county departments and programs..." we found not all Supervisors were familiar with the heads of the departments under their supervision.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Grand Jury recommends quarterly meetings (following Brown Act protocol) be held between the Board of Supervisors and the heads of all departments to discuss personnel issues, department needs, budget requirements, etc. Jail Advisory Committee
F3
The geothermal heating system does not work properly. The three contractors responsible for the system are no longer in business. Facilities personnel are working to correct the problems.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Board should consult experts in this field to help the county correct the problems.
F4
Some effort is currently underway to What else could the Annex be used for? A Chamber locate new permanent tenants for the Annex. mixer; art show; meeting rooms for civic groups;
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
We recommend that the designated office space for Board of Supervisors? county actively pursue other tenants by advertising both inside and outside the county, subsidizing the rents, and moving other county departments into the building.
F5
It is our understanding that no efforts have been made to use the building for temporary events.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
As permanent tenants are being located, the Grand Jury recommends that this beautiful building be used by the citizenry for a multitude of purposes, and that the Board actively publicize the availability of the space for community use. Alcohol and Drug Program
F6
What action do you think the Grand Jury should take? Signature: IT IS A CRIME TO REPORT TO THE GRAND JURY THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED KNOWING THE REPORT TO BE FALSE. (Penal Code No. 148.5.d) ATTACH COPIES OF PERTINENT DOCUMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE (USE AND ATTACH ADDITIONAL SHEETS IF NECESSARY) The Grand Jury may also review and acknowledge all written, dated and signed citizen complaints. Within the time allowed by its established investigatory priorities, the Grand Jury may investigate complaints where appropriate. All complaints are treated confidentially. This applies to the written documents as well as the testimony of witnesses and participants. The complainant may be asked to appear as a witness. Note should be made that the sitting panel functions only as a civil Grand Jury and does not deal with criminal matters. If a complaint appears to involve the criminal court system, the matter is handed over to the office of the District Attorney for review and investigation. Citizen Complaint forms may be obtained on-line at the Grand Jury page of the Plumas County Website or by sending a written request to: Appendix D - Note to Respondents/Requirements for Response As a result of Grand Jury investigation and reporting, certain agencies, entities, departments, districts, and functions of county government may be the subject of the final report which outlines findings and
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
What action do you think the Grand Jury should take? Signature: IT IS A CRIME TO REPORT TO THE GRAND JURY THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED KNOWING THE REPORT TO BE FALSE. (Penal Code No. 148.5.d) ATTACH COPIES OF PERTINENT DOCUMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE (USE AND ATTACH ADDITIONAL SHEETS IF NECESSARY) The Grand Jury may also review and acknowledge all written, dated and signed citizen complaints. Within the time allowed by its established investigatory priorities, the Grand Jury may investigate complaints where appropriate. All complaints are treated confidentially. This applies to the written documents as well as the testimony of witnesses and participants. The complainant may be asked to appear as a witness. Note should be made that the sitting panel functions only as a civil Grand Jury and does not deal with criminal matters. If a complaint appears to involve the criminal court system, the matter is handed over to the office of the District Attorney for review and investigation. Citizen Complaint forms may be obtained on-line at the Grand Jury page of the Plumas County Website or by sending a written request to:
F8
Senior Nqutroiti1o~J n 2008-2009 Plumas Co.unty ~· _J,u GRAND JURY REPORT Hospital DON'T MISS IT! ~Distsric ts 1 Plumas County Grand Jury Post Office Box 784, Quincy, California 95971 Honorable Judge Ira Kaufman Honorable Judge Janet Hilde Presiding Judge of the Superior Court Supervising Judge of the Superior Court County of Plumas County of Plumas State of California State of California Dear Judge Kaufman and Judge Hilde: The 2008-2009 Plumas County Grand Jury is pleased to present the final report to you and the citizens of Plumas County as stipulated by California Penal Code Section 933. With this report, we complete the work of the 2008-2009 Plumas County Grand Jury. The nineteen members of this panel have conscientiously pursued the tasks before them, bringing to bear the experience and expertise of their varied backgrounds in law enforcement, health care, industry, real estate, education, aeronautics, engineering, banking, fire service, management, and human services, plus a combined total of 220 years as residents in Plumas County. Some have lived in the county for five years or less, others have lived here for more than 50 years. The activities performed by this Grand Jury include extensive research, interviews, attendance at committee meetings and general meetings, and tours of various facilities. Specifically, this panel: Reviewed and followed up on required responses to the 2007-2008 Plumas County Grand Jury final report, conducted an inspection of the Plumas County Jail, reviewed all written and signed citizen complaints and followed up as appropriate. We interviewed witnesses, visited sites related to inquiries and investigations where appropriate, reviewed documents, policies, procedures, memoranda of understanding, and operation manuals as appropriate to investigations, met in committee sessions and met in general session twice monthly. The effectiveness of a Grand Jury is determined, not only by the selection of topics, agencies and entities to be reviewed, but also by the sitting panel’s thorough and attentive commitment to detail and accuracy so that a factual and clear report is produced. To that end, I thank this team who came together motivated to do the job well. The 2008-2009 Plumas County Grand Jury is sincerely grateful to all of the interviewees who took time to share information with us so that we might have a clearer view of our county government and, ultimately, issue a report that informs and educates the citizens of Plumas County. We thank those who filed citizen complaints with the Grand Jury. We commend your honesty and citizenship. We also thank the folks in the various county offices who assisted us throughout the year. The 2008-2009 Plumas County Grand Jury is proud to have served the citizens of Plumas County. Respectfully submitted, Linda L. Rean, Foreperson Table of Contents Foreperson's Cover Letter........................................................................................2 Table of Contents.....................................................................................................3 2008-2009 Grand Jury Members and Committees..................................................4 Introduction..............................................................................................................5 Grand Jury Investigations Board of Supervisors....................................................................................7 Plumas County Sheriff's Correctional Facility (Jail).................................14 Law and Justice..........................................................................................17 Senior Nutrition Program...........................................................................19 Hospital Districts.......................................................................................25 Participation on County Audit Committee................................................31 Complaint Summaries................................................................................32 Appendices Appendix A - County/City Departments/Agencies/Etc.............................34 Appendix B - Penal Code Section 888 et seq............................................36 Appendix C - Citizen Complaint Form......................................................37 Appendix D - Requirements for Respondents to Respond........................38 Appendix E - Grand Jury Report Distribution List....................................39 In the spirit of the times, the 2008-2009 Grand Jury is proud, at year's end, to be able to return a generous portion of our budget to the Plumas County General Fund. Plumas County Grand Jury Members 2008-2009 Linda Rean, Foreperson..................................................................................................................Chester Rachel Bartosz, Foreperson Pro Tem...............................................................................................Portola Martha Huber, Recording Secretary.....................................................................................................Clio Ronald Shafer, Treasurer......................................................................................................Lake Almanor Thomas Cannon...................................................................................................................Lake Almanor Sandra Carr, Chairperson.................................................................................................................Quincy Kathy Combs-Jeffries......................................................................................................................Quincy Michael Curry, Chairperson.............................................................................................................Maybe Lynn Desjardin, Chairperson...........................................................................................................Portola Howard Johnson..........................................................................................................................Cromberg Laurence Kellett, Chairperson...........................................................................................Meadow Valley Diana Lindsey-Grace..................................................................................................................Greenville Bobbi May.......................................................................................................................................Quincy Christy Randall, Chairperson...............................................................................................................Clio Lace Van Devender.........................................................................................................................Chester Carolyn Widman............................................................................................................................Chilcoot Kent Williams..................................................................................................................................Quincy Kathleen Wilson.........................................................................................................................Greenville Ceacel Wittorff.....................................................................................................................Crescent Mills Grand Jury Committees Board of Supervisors Law and Justice County Audit Committee Participation Plumas County Sheriff's Correctional Facility (Jail) Editorial Review Senior Nutrition Program Hospital Districts 4 Introduction The Plumas County Grand Jury is a body of nineteen Plumas County citizens charged and sworn to inquire into matters of civil concern within the boundaries of Plumas County and any incorporated city within these boundaries. Appendix A lists the County and City Departments that are open to Grand Jury inquiry. Grand Jury duties, powers, responsibilities, qualifications and selection processes are set forth in the California Penal Code Section 888 et seq. See Appendix B. The Grand Jury functions lawfully only as a body. No Citizen tax dollars are the lifeblood of individual grand juror may act alone and has no authority to act government, and one of the functions of alone. Meetings of the Grand Jury are not open to the public. the Grand Jury is to scrutinize the The Penal Code requires that all matters discussed before the management of those dollars. Grand Jury and all deliberations are to be kept private and confidential. The end result of all investigations into civil matters is released to the public in a final report, which sets forth the findings and recommendations of the Grand Jury. Participation in Grand Jury service is an opportunity for citizens from various communities within the county to work together, get an in-depth look at local government, and to make informed recommenda- tions which may improve and enhance services. The effectiveness of a Grand Jury is determined not only by the selection of topics, agencies and entities to be reviewed, but also by the sitting panel’s thorough and attentive commitment to detail and accuracy so that the findings in the final report are substantiated, provable and verifiable. Service on the Grand Jury is also a way to contribute and make a positive difference. Jurors serve twelve months and some jurors continue on to serve a second twelve months. The term of service runs from July 1 to June 30. The panel reviewed the investigative history dating back to the 1995-1996 Grand Jury. Based on that history and the interest of the current panel members, committees were formed to look at the topics we had chosen. Once the selections were made, the committees used a process known as TRIANGULA- TION to examine the various subjects of our investigations. RESEARCH TRIANGULATION: Key to a successful Grand Jury Investigation INTERVIEWS OBSERVATION 5 Research: Each investigative committee looked at budgets, minutes, agendas, policies, rules of operation, Memoranda of Understanding, and other appropriate documents related to that investigation. Observation: The committee members toured agencies, offices, and sites where appropriate, questioned facility usage, adequacy of space, and efficient use of quarters. Interviews: The committees, upon approval of the entire Grand Jury Panel, prepared appropriate questions, set up interviews, and followed up to clarify the information for accuracy of the final report. The term of the Grand Jury is limited and, by necessity, the panel must narrow its focus in order to be thorough. Therefore, the citizenry may question why certain issues are not covered in greater detail. If any citizen is concerned or interested in asking the Grand Jury to review a specific matter, the citizen complaint is the method, and the forms are available at the Plumas County website. Whether the issue is a complaint or simply a concern, this is the venue by which citizens may be heard and a response may be made. A sample Citizen Complaint form and directions for submission may be found in Appendix C. This final report represents the work that has been done by the 2008-2009 Grand Jury, a body of research, observations, and interviews that have allowed this panel to formulate their findings and
No recommendations for this finding
Additional Recommendations 3
These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.
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R95-96Agriculture Commissioner Airport Operations
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R98-99Assessor Auditor/Controller Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Χ Board of Supervisors Building & Panning Services Χ Χ Cemetery Districts Clerk/Recorder Inc. Community Services Districts Χ County Counsel
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R99-00Χ Χ Χ Fair Χ Farm Advisor Feather River College Χ Inc. Fire Departments Χ Χ Χ Foll. up Flood Control/Water Conservation Χ Χ Health Dept./Env. Health Χ Hospital Districts Χ Housing & Comm. Development Human Resources
Conclusions 5
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CL1The Board is made up of five individuals The Plumas County Board of Supervisors has a very large job so, as one of them said, "please don't to do, and they sometimes face a lot of criticism for the way paint us all with the same paintbrush." they do it. It is true that because they manage the finances and almost all other aspects of county government, "the buck stops with them." But we found them to be sincere in their efforts to do the best they can for the county and we learned that we should not judge them as a group, necessarily, because they are not always of one mind. 12 Many of the Findings and Recommendations of this Committee are based on the Supervisors' testimony that they wanted a positive relationship with the public, being open and honest and listening to their concerns. There are specific requirements for response by those who are investigated by the Grand Jury. Historically, responses have taken the easy out, saying things like, "it's in progress" or "it's not economically feasible" or similar excuses. It is the sincere desire of this Grand Jury to fulfill our obligation to "be a valuable tool to examine county programs and departments and to provide constructive recommendations for the improved operation of county government." To that end, we expect the Board of Supervisors to seriously consider these recommendations and make a concerted effort to answer fully and respectfully. 13 Plumas County Sheriff's Correctional Facility (Jail) REASON FOR INVESTIGATION The Plumas County Grand Jury is required to annually inspect any jail within the county in accordance with the California Penal Code. PROCEDURE The Plumas County Grand Jury conducted two inspections of the Plumas county jail accompanied by supervisory and correctional officer staff and had one additional meeting with staff.
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CL2In spite of inadequate staffing and facilities, the staff of the Plumas County jail does an outstanding job in serving the citizens of Plumas County. Progress toward replacement of the jail needs to move forward and existing critical needs must be addressed. The Grand Jury expects responses from both the Plumas County Sheriff and the Plumas County Board of Supervisors. 16 Law and Justice REASON FOR INVESTIGATION Law enforcement is a critical function of county government. The committee chose to review the three law enforcement departments in the county, Sheriff Department, Probation Department and the District Attorney's Office. The committee inquired into the status of each department, and how they interacted and communicated with one another. PROCEDURE The committee conducted interviews with the Sheriff, the District Attorney and the Chief Probation Officer.
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CL3The staff of these three departments are competent, dedicated individuals providing outstanding service to the citizens of Plumas County. Unfortunately, there is a critical need to address the extreme staffing shortage in the Sheriff Department. Failure to do so jeopardizes the safety of the citizens of Plumas County and places the county in great liability if inadequate staffing and communications were to result in the loss or injury of an officer or citizen. The Plumas County Grand Jury expects responses from the Board of Supervisors, as well as the three agencies reviewed. 18 Senior Nutrition Program REASON FOR INVESTIGATION The 2008-2009 Grand Jury elected to review the Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) because several of us were interested in knowing how the program works, and the program had not been investigated since 1996. Our goal was to find out: "How does the senior nutrition program benefit seniors"? PROCEDURE Where did we get our information? Our committee reviewed hundreds of pages of government documentation in order to understand the program, from the Older Americans Act down to the local level. In addition, we dined at each of the nutrition sites at least two times each to see, hear and taste the program! We toured the kitchens, conducted interviews with the Director of Public Health, Director of Environmental Health, nutrition program Division Director, site managers and an Advisory Board member. In addition, we visited with seniors to gain their perspective. We also questioned some members of the Board of Supervisors and the County Chief Administrative Officer and heard their reasons for supporting the program. Our research led us to read and review dozens of documents including: environmental health inspection reports, the code of ethics and responsibilities of the bus drivers, by-laws of the Advisory Board, a proposal for funding, forms and manuals, and much more. We've include a partial list of resource materials at the end of this report for those who want to explore this program further.
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CL4D i d we answer our question? Our investigation started with the question: "How does the senior nutrition program benefit seniors"? Well, there's no rubber chicken here! The meals are delicious, as well as nutritionally balanced, which A big “thank you” to all of those who participated encourages seniors to dine out on healthy food. Getting in our interview process and to the many seniors away from the television, having conversation with who welcomed us into their circle, shared their others and being out in the fresh air is healthful for tables and stories and made us feel at home. both mind and body. Requesting a donation instead of charging a fee is helpful to those who may be on limited resources but is also fair to those who wish to contribute to the funding. The welcoming attitude of the staff and management provides an atmosphere of friendliness and companionship that helps seniors stay involved and included in their community. This Grand Jury is very impressed with the Plumas County Senior Nutrition Program and the all the great people who make it happen. Everyone we interviewed was committed to serving our senior population, enthusiastic about doing a good job, and very pleasant. Kudos to the “volunteer” seniors who We STRONGLY encourage those seniors who do not attend the lunches and are very helpful, currently enjoy this program to call their local senior assist in bussing tables, and act as “good nutrition center and sign up. We had a great time! will” ambassadors to the diners. 23 Partial List of Resource Materials: Advisory Board Functions and By-Laws California Area on Aging, Area PSA3, Home Delivered Meals Handbook California Area on Aging, Participant Confidentiality/Policy on Contributions Champions for Change, Healthy Communities of the North State Chester Senior Nutrition Program Congregate Meals, July 2008 to January 2009 Congregate Nutrition Services Budget, 2008-2009 Homebound Meals, July 2008 to January 2009 Home Delivered Nutrition Services Budget, 2008-2009 Nutrition Guidelines for Senior Citizens Passages (www.passagescenter.org) Plumas County Public Health Agency Divisions (www.healthyplumas.org) Plumas County Senior Nutrition Program and Senior Transportation (www.countyofplumas.com) Plumas Rural Services Community Connections Pamphlet Senior Services in Plumas County 24 Plumas County Hospital Districts REASON FOR INVESTIGATION Healthcare is a vital and timely topic nationwide and one that also significantly impacts the citizens of Plumas County. The 2008-2009 Grand Jury chose to look at the current condition of healthcare services in our communities and to present some of the unique challenges facing our rural hospital districts now and in the near future. By providing residents of Plumas County with the information in this report, it is hoped that the citizenry, hospital boards, and medical providers will together find ways to meet these challenges. PROCEDURE Keeping the goal of presenting the unique challenges facing our rural hospital districts in mind, the Grand Jury Hospital Committee pursued avenues of information including: Hospital District Publications Financial reports from the Hospital Districts Interviews with Hospital District Chief Executive Officers Medicare Publications Several websites including: http://guidetogov.org/ca/state/overview/districts.html http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HID/Products/Hospitals/Chrgmstr/2005/chrgmstrE.html http://city-data.com/county/Plumas_County-CA.html http://www.chcf.org http://labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov http://jointcommission.org http://www.medicare.gov http://www.raconline.org http://www.docboard.org
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CL5The challenges facing our three hospital districts are a Our hospital districts offer a variety of healthcare reflection of healthcare issues facing other rural services and will prosper only with the active and hospital districts, as well as those facing our nation as a ongoing support of Plumas County residents. whole (one exception being the challenge of conforming to California seismic standards). By presenting these challenges, this Grand Jury hopes that our county residents will better understand these issues and will feel confident in their opinions and voting decisions. 30 Grand Jury Participation on County Audit Committee
Observations 1
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OB1The committee members toured agencies, offices, and sites where appropriate, questioned facility usage, adequacy of space, and efficient use of quarters. Interviews: The committees, upon approval of the entire Grand Jury Panel, prepared appropriate questions, set up interviews, and followed up to clarify the information for accuracy of the final report. The term of the Grand Jury is limited and, by necessity, the panel must narrow its focus in order to be thorough. Therefore, the citizenry may question why certain issues are not covered in greater detail. If any citizen is concerned or interested in asking the Grand Jury to review a specific matter, the citizen complaint is the method, and the forms are available at the Plumas County website. Whether the issue is a complaint or simply a concern, this is the venue by which citizens may be heard and a response may be made. A sample Citizen Complaint form and directions for submission may be found in Appendix C. This final report represents the work that has been done by the 2008-2009 Grand Jury, a body of research, observations, and interviews that have allowed this panel to formulate their findings and recommendations. The persons responsible for the departments, offices, and issues addressed herein may agree or disagree with our findings and recommendations, but they are obligated to respond. (Refer to Appendix D for the requirements set forth for response.) The nineteen members of this Grand Jury are privileged to have served the citizens of Plumas County, and we wish to convey our respect, as well, for all those who serve in county government. 6 Board of Supervisors REASON FOR INVESTIGATION Getting to know you. The 2008-2009 Grand Jury members are not strangers to Plumas County, many having lived here over 25 years. But in reviewing past Grand Jury reports, we stopped to ask ourselves what we knew about the responsibilities of our Board of Supervisors (Board). We discovered that we did not know as much as we would like. It was then we decided to interview the individual Board members before taking up our duties to examine county programs. We wanted to find out what a Board of The California State Association of Counties states that “The Supervisors was, what they did, and how Civil Grand Jury, when working in concert with the Board of they did it. In addition, we were interested Supervisors and the County Administrative Officer (CAO), can prove to be a valuable tool to examine county programs and in how the Grand Jury and the Board of departments and to provide constructive recommendations for Supervisors could work together for the the improved operation of county government.” betterment of the county. PROCEDURE Interviews and research materials. During the last half of 2008 the Grand Jury interviewed the five sitting members of the Board on an individual basis. In January of 2009 the Grand Jury interviewed the two new supervisors, again on an individual basis. The Grand Jury also interviewed the County Administrative Officer and the Clerk of the Board. The Grand Jury learned from these interviews some of the key issues the Board is facing in the near future, as well as a few issues that have been unsatisfactorily explained to the public. These are the concerns we focused our energies on for this investigation and report: Board of Supervisors Jail Courthouse Annex Alcohol and Drug Program Litigation Issues Our research materials and resources included: California Association of Counties, County Structure, www.csac.counties.org Interviews with 2008 and 2009 Supervisors Plumas County 2008-2009 Budget Interviews with Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board Members A fact-finding tour of Courthouse Annex A fact-finding tour of County Jail Interview with County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Interview with Clerk of the Board 7
No Responses Found 3
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Plumas County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office
Plumas County District Attorney
Elected County Office
Plumas County Sheriff
Elected County Office
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.