Merced County Grand Jury • 2006-2007

Merced County Grand Jury Po Box 2034 Merced, California 95344

Published: June 30, 2007 90 pages Consolidated Report
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Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F13, F14, F15, F16, F17, F18, F19, F20, F21, F22, F23, F24, F25, F26, F27, F28, F29, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F35, F36, F37, F38, F39, F40, F41, F42, F43, F44, F45, F46, F47, F48, F49, F50, F51, F52, F53, F54, F55, F56, F57, F58, F59, F60, F61, F62, F63, F64, F65, F66, F67, F68, F69, F70, F71, F72, F73, F74, F75, F76, F77, F78, F79, F80, F81, F82, F83, F84, F85, F86, F87, F88, F89, F90, F91, F92, F93, F94, F95, F96, F97, F98, F99, F100, F101, F102, F103, F104, F105, F106, F107, F108, F109, F110, F111, F112, F113, F114, F115, F116, F117, F118, F119, F120, F121, F122, F123, F124, F125, F126, F127, F128, F129, F130, F131, F132, F133, F134, F135, F136, F137, F138, F139, F140, F141, F142, F143, F144, F145, F146, F147, F148, F149, F150, F151, F152, F153, F154, F155, F156, F157, F158, F159, F160, F161, F162, F163, F164, F165, F166, F167, F168, F169, F170, F171, F172, F173, F174, F175, F176, F177, F178, F179, F180, F181, F182, F183, F184, F185, F186, 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F685, F686, F687, F688, F689, F690, F691, F692, F693, F694, F695, F696, F697, F698, F699, F700, F701, F702, F703, F704, F705, F706, F707, F708, F709, F710, F711, F712, F713, F714, F715, F716, F717, F718, F719, F720, F721, F722, F723, F724, F725, F726, F727, F728, F729, F730, F731, F732, F733, F734, F735, F736, F737, F738, F739, F740, F741, F742, F743, F744, F745, F746, F747, F748, F749, F750, F751, F752, F753, F754, F755, F756, F757, F758, F759, F760, F761, F762, F763, F764, F765, F766, F767, F768, F769, F770, F771, F772, F773, F774, F775, F776, F777, F778, F779, F780, F781, F782, F783, F784, F785, F786, F787, F788, F789, F790, F791, F792, F793, F794, F795, F796, F797, F798, F799, F800, F801, F802, F803, F804, F805, F806, F807, F808, F809, F810, F811, F812, F813, F814, F815, F816, F817, F818, F819, F820, F821, F822, F823, F824, F825, F826, F827, F828, F829, F830, F831, F832, F833, F834, F835, F836, F837, F838, F839, F840, F841, F842, F843, F844, F845, F846, F847, F848, F849, F850, 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Findings and Recommendations 13 findings

F1 Page 11
Public Works Department should develop a clear plan how to bring roadways up to safe conditions. 11 2. Board of Supervisors should develop plans to increase the funding for the road system.
No recommendations for this finding
F2 Page 13
The Board of Supervisors has worked diligently with the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) to develop new sources of funding. Over the past six years, the Board of Supervisors has strongly supported three attempts to raise revenues for road maintenance and construction through MCAG, in cooperation with the six cities in the county. All three attempts to pass a sales tax measure for transportation would have provided significant revenues to the County specifically for road maintenance. The last effort was as recent as November 2006. Other efforts by the Board to increase road funding have included adoption of the Regional Transportation Improvement Fee (RTIF). This fee insures that development throughout all jurisdictions within the county; pay their fair share of the cost of regional improvements, without relying on support from the County’s road fund. The Road Division of Public Works will be making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding possible means for increasing funding for County Road Maintenance.
No recommendations for this finding
F3 Page 12
County officials should lobby elected representatives and officials at state and federal level for funding assistance.
No recommendations for this finding
F4 Page 12
County Administration should develop plans to increase public awareness of the need for road repairs and plans to meet such needs. DATE: May 8, 2007 TO: Presiding Judge John Kirahara FROM: Paul A. Fillebrown, Director of Public Works SUBJECT: Comments/Responses to the 2006-2007 Grand Jury Report This letter is in response to the Merced Grand Jury Review Report Number 2. Road funding is a complex issue, with the primary revenue source being the State of California. There are structural problems with the current state gasoline tax and with the way it is distributed to cities and counties. First, the gasoline tax, which provides the majority of road maintenance dollars, is not a percentage tax. It is a fixed number of cents per gallon. There is no real growth in this amount since the ever-improving fuel economy of new cars effectively cancels out the increasing number of cars and miles driven. Secondly, and more importantly, the bulk of the gasoline tax revenues are distributed based on a formula, which gives little consideration to the number of miles, needed to be maintained. The formula (which has been in place for about 60 years) distributes the majority of the funds based on the number of registered vehicles. This formula results in urbanized counties with high population receiving the bulk of the gas tax revenues. Since the counties with the higher populations also have the majority of representation in the state legislature, the few attempts over the years to change the formula have never met with any success. The other major source of funding for road maintenance is TDA (Transportation Development Act) funds, which are sales tax dollars allocated to cities and counties for transit. In counties under 500,000 populations, these funds may also be used for road maintenance, but only after all unmet transit needs are met. As the county population has grown, and in order to maintain consistent service levels and address new unmet needs, the cost of providing the transit service has increased. With regard to the specific finding, I would offer the following: 1. Public Works does have a plan on how to bring roadways up to safe condition. We have a very comprehensive and up-to-date pavement management system; complete with current road condition information. This system prepares a plan each year for addressing road maintenance and rehabilitation needs. We have a plan and we know what work needs to be done. However, 12 we can’t create new funding without one of two things; support from the registered voters of Merced County and/or support from the state legislature. Existing funding sources are inadequate and have not kept pace with the cost of road maintenance. We estimate that just to keep the road system from deteriorating further, it would take an additional $4-6 million annually; this does not include the cost of reconstructing those roads, which have fallen into disrepair. The current backlog is estimated at nearly $100 million. The County General Fund simply does not have the resources to provide that level of additional funding, year after year.
No recommendations for this finding
F5 Page 40
California Penal Code Section 3067(d) states it is not the intent to authorize law enforcement to conduct searches for the sole purpose of harassment. The California Attorney General’s Opinion states you may not undertake a probationary search for the purposes of harassment or for arbitrary and capricious reasons.
No recommendations for this finding
F6 Page 40
The officer’s actions, though legal, give the perception of heavy handedness, as well as creating a liability for the city. This resulted in the City of Dos Palos paying $947.00 for the damage to the residence.
No recommendations for this finding
F7 Page 44
The Chief of Police is NOT a Member of the DP-POA and yet he is authorized to sign checks against the accounts. 44 8. The DP-POA allows a single individual to sign checks against Association accounts.
No recommendations for this finding
F8 Page 45
The Chief of Police must be removed from the DP-POA bank accounts.
No recommendations for this finding
F9 Page 45
The DP-POA should implement a policy that requires that two individuals to sign checks against the accounts. The official response from the City of Dos Palos to the Grand Jury’s (report 06- 07-08) Recommendation: 1. The Dos Palos Police Officers Association should enter into negotiations with the City of Dos Palos on the status of the K-9 unit and possible reimbursement from the City, or allow the individuals that currently have possession of the animals to obtain ownership of the dogs. Response: 1. A K-9 presentation was made to the city council on May 2, 2006. On March 6, 2007, members of the Grand Jury requested in person that the new city council address K-9 usage. This was scheduled for May 15, 2007. Grand Jury report 06- 07-08 was received on May 3, 2007. A quick review of the subject dogs may answer various concerns: “Cubbie” was originally purchased by the DP-POA, not the City. This dog has been sold to Chief of Police Mann. “Brit” was originally purchased by the City with funds provided by a school resource grant. “Brit” became ill, was returned and replaced with “Lux.” “Lux” is still owned by the City, under the care of its handler Corporal Areias. The city council intends to send both “Lux” and its handler to training for K-9 usage. Once both dog and handler receive certification, the city council will consider approving usage on duty. “Alex” was originally purchased by the DP- POA, not the City. This dog has been sold to Officer Battles. Negotiations and or reimbursement are not necessary as two of the dogs have been sold, one returned, and one retained by the city. Two of the handlers were allowed to purchase the animals.
No recommendations for this finding
F10 Page 75
County Public Works Department should have realized that when encroachment permits were issued to cross county roads, that a private contractor was working on a major project requiring environmental review.
No recommendations for this finding
F11 Page 75
The Livingston City Council placed two of its members on a committee working with developers and city staff on the implementation of the sewer trunk line project.
No recommendations for this finding
F12 Page 75
The Grand Jury also finds that even though the city and the permit process was poorly followed and violated CEQA law, no attempt should be made to force the removal of the currently installed sewer line. Recommendations: 1. The City of Livingston must improve the records of council meetings. The City of Livingston must update the city’s General Plan; conduct extensive public hearings on the updated plan and how the sewer trunk line fits into future plans.
No recommendations for this finding
F2044 Page 7
Costs for this are, and will continue to be, borne by the Air Force. Over $200 million has thus far been spent on this effort. The Center has been divided into two pieces of property - an airport portion and a facilities portion. The airport has received funds from the FAA and has been upgraded to conditional FAA Part 139 designation. The upgrade was done at a cost of approximately $17 million. This designation means that it can now be used for commercial air traffic, but will only receive its final designation if, and when, commercial air usage begins. Under FAA rules, Merced County must continue to operate it as an airport, and all facilities in the airport portion can only be utilized for airport related purposes. In addition to currently used facilities of the airport, such as the former fighter area which hosts a charter operator and the portions being used by two flight schools, there are approximately 50 thousand square feet on which cargo or passenger facilities 7 can be built. The county continues to aggressively seek a major airline or air cargo firm as tenant(s) for the center. After several years of effort, a property management firm has been selected to manage the center property. While negotiations with the firm are not yet finalized, a Master Development Agreement is expected to be in place early in 2007. This will result in a constant payment to Merced County of an agreed upon amount, while the property management firm will receive all lease revenues. Overall, these terms should result in a positive cash flow for Merced County. Some parcels of the facilities portion of the center have been conveyed to other entities, including the University of California/Merced, Bloss Hospital District and the Castle Air Museum. Recently, a parcel of the property was leased, with option to purchase, to a lumberyard firm. Both this firm and the air Museum are within Atwater city limits, so sales tax revenue from their operations goes to the city of Atwater. Those properties, which are currently leased, will be subject to renegotiated lease terms when the new management agreement is finalized. Authorities assume that some of the current tenants will probably depart because they will be unwilling or unable to pay market rates for the leases. However, it is also assumed that the center will be able to attract other tenants, particularly those whose business relates to airport activities.
No recommendations for this finding

Commendations 5