Received City of Marysville Aug 08 2024*

Published: July 29, 2024 21 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.

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12, 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

Findings and Recommendations 5 findings

F1 Page 1

The design of the streetlights in the City of Marysville has not been updated to keep up with the growth in the City. City Response to Finding 1: Disagree The City respectfully disagrees with the Grand Jury's findings. It is unclear as to what growth the Grand Jury is referencing. The City is constrained by levees, and the City has not experienced significant growth geographically since 2003. Prior to the City being built out to its limits, streetlights were placed in new developments as part of their design and construction. City of Marysville 526 C Street Marysville, CA 95901 (530) 749-3901 Streetlights are currently present throughout the City. There may be areas /locations that could benefit through enhanced fixtures or new additional streetlights, but the City has a constrained budget and other activities (street paving, sidewalk repairs, storm drains, etc.) have taken a higher priority than enhancing street lighting. It is also not clear as to what design is being referenced requiring update. Nearly all streetlight lamps were retrofitted with efficient and reliable LED units in 2012. In terms of evaluation of the City's streetlight network for adequacy, City staff estimates cost of such evaluation would be approximately $150,000 to $200,000 (reference study to evaluate lighting infrastructure for Albany CA, which included approximately 900 streetlights, at a cost of $174,280 and approved by the Albany City Council on March 20, 2023. https://www.albanyca.org/residents/city-projects/citywide-streetlighting-evaluation Albany's final streetlighting evaluation report, dated February 29, 2004, estimated the costs to implement recommendations between 4.5 million and 5.7 million dollars. If a resident desires an evaluation of the City's streetlights he/she can express this desire at regularly scheduled City Council meetings, generally held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. The City Council deliberates and approves the City Budget between April and June of each year, and therefore these proceedings are the opportune time for the public to express their wants and needs for consideration as the Council sets priorities and commits funds for the various activities within the City.

Related Recommendations (1)

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Update the Yuba County Office of Emergency Services Plan. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the finding, however the previous administration began an update in 2019, but unfortunately in 2020, COVID - 19 halted the update. The updates have resumed and currently estimating around the beginning of 2025. Office of Emergency Services Finding F2: An additional river water level monitoring system is needed at the confluence of Yuba River and Feather River near Shanghai Bend.

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The City of Marysville does not have a maintenance program to identify and repair deficient streetlights. City Response to Finding 2: Disagree The City respectfully disagrees with the Grand Jury's findings. The City has a maintenance program in place to repair streetlights. A resident can report a malfunctioning streetlight via the email link available on the City website: [email protected]. Alternatively, the resident can complete a service request, located on the City's website at https://www.marysville.ca.us/public- works . The form has check boxes for a variety of common requests, including streetlights, streets repairs, parks, sewer, storm drains, trees, nuisance abatement, etc. There is also a checkbox for "other" in the instance there the nature of the request does not have an applicable check box. Below the check box area there is a space to describe the nature of the request in detail. If more City of Marysville 526 C Street Marysville, CA 95901 (530) 749-3901 convenient, a resident can report a malfunctioning streetlight by coming to City Hall, located at 526 C Street Marysville, CA, 95901. City Hall is open 8:00AM-4:30PM Monday through Friday. Once notified, city staff are dispatched on a prioritized basis to verify, troubleshoot and repair these lights. In some cases, the issue may be related to PG&E service, whereupon staff contact PG&E to start a repair order following PG&E processes. Limited staffing precludes nighttime inspections for inoperable streets lights at night and therefore the lighting is addressed on an as reported basis. Of note is that between 1/17 and 1/24/2022 a volunteer group led by Council Member Stuart Gilchrist walked the streets of Marysville and Identified 53 streetlamps that were malfunctioning. City Staff has inspected and repaired 53 of the 53 units. An additional 3 malfunctioning units were identified as of 1/9/2024. Of those, 3 have been inspected and repaired. In the iWorQ service request program, there are currently 2 streetlights with repairs outstanding, 2 which are awaiting parts, and 0 which are awaiting PGE repairs of power to the pole.

Related Recommendations (1)

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Provide an additional river water level monitoring system The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the finding and would like to note that currently the Department of Water Resources is installing a more robust and updated river gauge on the Feather River. The location is currently being discussed, but the Office of Emergency Services will request that placement be considered in the confluence of the Yuba and Feather River near Shanghai Bend area. Office of Emergency Services Finding F3: There is no flow rate gauge at or below the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers.

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The City of Marysville has no procedures for residents to request new streetlights in their neighborhood, making it more difficult to enhance pedestrian visibility and reduce crime. City Response to Finding 3: Disagree The City respectfully disagrees with the Grand Jury's findings. The City has procedures for a resident to request a new streetlight in their neighborhood. The request can be initiated in the same manner as a request to repair an existing streetlight. A resident can make the request via the email link available on the City website: [email protected]. Alternatively, the resident can complete a service request located on the City's website located at https://www.marysville.ca.us/public-works . There is a check box to designate the request is streetlight related and an area to explain the request (e.g.: "I would like to request a streetlight at 1234 first street). If it is more convenient, a resident can request a new streetlight by coming to City Hall, located at 526 C Street Marysville, CA, 95901. City Hall is open 8:00AM-4:30PM Monday through Friday. If desired, residents can also attend City Council meetings, generally held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. As mentioned in previous response to finding 1, the City Council deliberates and approves the City Budget between April and June of each year. Budget proceedings are the opportune time for the public to express their wants and needs for consideration as the Council sets priorities and commits funds for the various activities within the City. Streetlight installations range from City of Marysville 526 C Street Marysville, CA 95901 (530) 749-3901 $4,000 for replacement to $20,000 per new installed unit. Given the cost to install, and weighing this against other City priorities, the City Council may choose not to grant the request.

Related Recommendations (1)

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Install a flow rate gauge at or below the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the findings and would like to address that we are currently in discussions with the Department of Water Resources in looking into adding more river gauges along the Feather River. The Office of Emergency Services will continue to advocate for our areas north along our county's levees and near Bear River and Feather River confluence. Office of Emergency Services Finding F4: Need Evacuation Plans for specific critical areas.

F4 Page 4

There is a service request form on the Marysville Public Works' website which residents can use to submit service requests for replacing burnt out bulbs and other public works items. City Response to Finding 4: Agree A resident can report a malfunctioning streetlight via the email link available on the City website: [email protected]. Alternatively, the resident can complete a service request located on the City's website located at https://www.marysville.ca.us/public-works. The form has check boxes for a variety of common requests, including streetlights, streets repairs, parks, sewer, storm drains, trees, nuisance abatement, etc. There is also a checkbox for "other", in the instance that the nature of the request does not have an applicable check box. Below the check box area there is a space to describe the nature of the request in detail.

Related Recommendations (1)

Page 17

Based on the previously inundated areas, we recommend dividing the county into critical zones and developing specific evacuation plans for these areas. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the findings and has adopted Zonehaven into our county which has divided the county into Zones based on evacuation routes for county residents. We have currently acquired a new software platform called, LADRIS AI which uses artificial intelligences in real-time traffic evacuation modeling. This new software will allow for the training, planning, and developing specific evacuation plans for our specific critical areas. Yuba County Sheriff Office has the authority over public safety in our county. They will be implementing the tactical operations of all evacuations in our county using Zonehaven and LADRIS AI software. Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Yuba County Office of Emergency Services Finding F1: There did not appear to be a clear leader identified to manage emergency response, as there seemed to be a disconnect between multiple departments. However, one department relied heavily on a collaboration that was directed by the Bi-County Health Officer.

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ZONEHAVEN #2000 m. 0 % . ٠. . 8 o o YUB-E073 YUB-E105 Zone selected E. ↔ ② × 4 Update Status YUB-E071 Hide zones list ^ YUB-E083 US-CA-XYU-YUB-8053 X Normal YUB-E106 Summary YUB-E074 YUB-E0 23 POPULATION 95 5 13 VEHICLES . 48 96 O AREA YUB-E075 YUB-E040 12,408 acres STRUCTURES 64 1 Download PDF Booklets ••• YUB-E039 General info Evacuation details ZONE IDENTIFICATION MECT CRITICAL EVACUATION FACILITIES YUB-E053 POPULATION AND VEHICLE POTENTIAL RESOURCES A TRAFFIC CONTROL POINTS N ROUTES A INTERSECTION COUNTS ARRIVAL POINTS S: EQUIPMENT & LINKS YUB-E035 YUB-E112 ^ ŵ + Jan 1 2000 # Staffing Losses Affect Operations at Yuba County Jail Yuba County Jail Finding Fl: Repeated issues with sewer backups in the jails causing standing water and sewage. Yuba County Jail Recommendation R1: Recommend retrofitting sewage pipes and considering replacing toilets with specially made toilets that catch items being flushed. This could limit or prevent inmates from stuffing items in the lines and causing backups. The cost of retrofitting may be offset by the cost of repeated sewage cleanouts by sewage companies. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office agrees with the finding and recommendation. However, it should be noted that the retrofitting of plumbing has been ongoing for several years. The jail was constructed in 1962 and requires constant repairs due to its age. Despite being remodeled in the early 1990's, the plumbing is for the most part original and difficult to replace when damaged. Unfortunately, inmates periodically sabotage these systems with the intention of causing disruption. To minimize the actions of these individuals, protocols and procedures in the jail are constantly monitored and best practices are utilized when possible. Despite these efforts, these individuals in our care are either not cognizant of the potential damage that they cause or simply do not care. The Yuba County Jail has periodically had incidents where the sewer has backed up in a housing unit. In each instance, our facility maintenance has identified the cause as inmates flushing items such as clothing, towels, food, plastic commissary bags and paper towels down their toilets. This has resulted in $11,271.04 for plumbing services for necessary repairs in fiscal year 2023-2024. Correctional and maintenance staff have established a system for limited flushing per toilet to help mitigate these clogged toilets. This process has significantly reduced the ability of inmates to flood their cells/pods by flushing clothes, towels, and food. The Yuba County Jail has also spent $146,057.03 over the last 4 years replacing old plumbing pipes in the basement. The following is a break-down of each of those fiscal years: Fiscal year 2020-2021 $50,763.95 Fiscal year 2021-2022 $17,000.00 Fiscal year 2022-2023 $35,330.61 Fiscal year 2023-2024 $42,962.47 This project will continue in fiscal year 2024-2025 as we continue to update our infrastructure to attempt to help alleviate the sewage issues. Jail leadership has researched updated technologies that would help combat these issues, but due to the significant fiscal impact associated with adding "hook traps" for each toilet and the cost to install and modify the plumbing lines (120 toilets), we are unable to proceed with the modifications at this time. Yuba County Jail Finding F2: Grand Jury noted a few areas of the jail emanated odors that made a few of the Grand Jury members touring the facility physically ill. The areas noted as having the strongest odors from the clothing/laundry room, the medical hold cells, and the women's dorm-style cells (large). Yuba County Jail Recommendation R2: Change the laundry detergent used to a more eco-friendly and odorless variety. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office disagrees with this finding and recommendation. Jail leadership accompanied the Grand Jury during their tour(s) and noted no strong odors. At no time during any of the tour(s), did they receive any complaint(s) of odor or illness by a member of the Grand Jury. Clarification from the affected Grand Jury members would assist in identifying the cause. Three specific areas were noted and each is addressed below. On a daily basis, all incarcerated individuals are provided with cleaning supplies to maintain the cleanliness and sanitation of their housing units. This includes the medical holding cells and women's housing units. Despite providing cleaning supplies and instruction, inmates do not always comply with these rules. When encountered with non-compliant inmates, the inmate(s) are removed from their housing unit and the area is cleaned and sanitize by inmate workers and/or staff. The clothing/laundry area normally holds clean clothes that are distributed to inmates when needed. Dirty laundry is seldom kept in the laundry room unless it is for a short period of time until it can be taken to the washing room located in the basement. Jail staff utilizes approved industrial strength chemicals to wash the inmate clothing. The product used is Chlorine Rinse HE, and the chemical name is Sodium Hypochlorite Solution. It is a broad-spectrum disinfectant that is effective for the disinfection of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mycobacterium. Odors are minimal and use of such products are necessary in maintaining sanitary conditions within the facility. Yuba County Jail Finding F3: The loss of the ICE contract has resulted in a marked staffing issue that could be contributing to some of the previous findings. Yuba County Jail Recommendation R3: Conduct a study on staffing shortages and determine critical positions that would alleviate health and welfare concerns for staff and inmates. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office agrees with this finding and recommendation. In February 2023, the Yuba County Sheriff's Department lost its Federal contract with ICE, which eliminated eleven (11) Correctional Officer positions. Ten (10) of those officers were assigned to the jail and one (1) was assigned to the Civil Division. In August 2022, the Yuba County Sheriff's Department entered into a Federal contract with the US Marshal Service in anticipation of losing the ICE contract. The Yuba County Jail is currently maintaining an average daily population (ADP) of 70 US Marshal inmates. This partnership has helped to bridge the gap of losing the ICE contract and has aided our agency in maintaining current staffing levels. It should be noted that the above reduction in staff eliminated three crucial specialty positions which has created challenges for jail operations. These specialty positions facilitated clothing exchange, medication distribution, outside recreation, barber supplies and daily cleaning supplies. As a result, staff are now tasked with these duties in addition to their primary responsibilities. At the time of the Grand Jury tours, the jail had numerous vacant positions. Since that time, the jail has filled all but two of those vacant positions. This additional staffing has helped reduce the extra duties that floor staff were required to assume. - What is the state of the state of In short, staff at the Yuba County Jail are committed to providing the highest level of care possible for those in our custody. The loss of the contract with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement was a direct result of the political atmosphere in the state of California and was in no way attributed to the performance of staff, the condition of the jail, or anything within the control of Yuba County or the Yuba County Sheriff's Office. Despite this loss, no employees were terminated or removed from their position due to the loss of the ICE contract. Given the age and limitations of our facility, jail staff does amazing work and would welcome the opportunity for a newly constructed facility. In the meantime, staff will continue to put forth their best efforts and provide the most professional and compassionate level of care possible. Yuba County Sheriff's K-9 Unit- Keeping Yuba County Safe Sheriff's K-9 Unit Finding F3: There is currently no trained drug dog to assist with contraband and community services. Sheriff's K-9 Unit Recommendation R3: The Grand Jury recommends that the county expand the program to include a drug dog. The drug dog program would be a great asset to assist with detecting contraband in the jail and minimize the workload on the officers in the jail. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office agrees with this finding and recommendation. In March of 2024 Correctional Officer Jesse Saldana joined the Yuba County Sheriff's Office K9 Unit with his partner, K9 Ghost, a Labrador retriever trained to detect narcotics and contraband in the jail facility. Adding a narcotics detection dog to our jail facility represents a proactive and effective measure to enhance the safety of our staff and the inmates we house. The benefits in terms of improved detection capabilities, deterrence of smuggling attempts, increased safety, and operational efficiency have already made this addition a worthwhile investment. Yuba County's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Covid-19 Finding F1: There did not appear to be a clear leader identified to manage emergency response, as there seemed to be a disconnect between multiple departments. However, one department relied heavily on a collaboration that was directed by the Bi-County Health Officer. COVID-19 Recommendation R1: There should be an established Emergency Plan available to guide emergency responses, rather than relying primarily on the direction of the Bi-County Health Officer. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office agrees with this finding and recommendation. COVID-19 Finding F2: Local public health directives did not coordinate with local law enforcement prior to announcement. Additionally, those orders should be in compliance with local laws and the US Constitution. . COVID-19 Recommendation R2: The plan should include processes for local Public Health authorities to coordinate with all affected agencies before making public announcements. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office agrees with this finding and recommendation. COVID-19 Finding F3: The After-Action report was not comprehensive and reflective of the entire pandemic emergency. COVID-19 Recommendation R3: There should be a comprehensive process for After-Action Reports that are reflective of the entire pandemic response. The AAR only encompassed May 2021 to December 2021. Sheriff's Office Response: The Sheriff's Office agrees with this findings and recommendations. CONCLUSION: I wish to thank the 2023/2024 Grand Jury for their dedication, devotion and commitment to our community. We find value in the inspection process and despite our disagreement with some of the findings and recommendations we will continue to use the information to improve our performance and service. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. You can reach me via telephone at 530 749-7779 or via electronic mail at [email protected]. Sincerely, Worldol Ac Bran Wendell Anderson Sheriff-Coroner Yuba County Board of Supervisors cc: Yuba County Counsel . . . RECEIVED Tri-County Youth Development Center Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center AUG 1 6 2024 938 14th Street • Marysville, CA 95901 Clerk/Board of Supervi (530)741-6371 Tri-County Probation Chiefs June 6, 2024 Matt Ricardy Yuba County The Honorable Stephen M. Berrier 749-7550 Yuba County Superior Court 215 5th Street, Suite 200 Donna Garcia Sutter County Marysville, CA 95901 822-7320 RE: Response to 2023-2024 Grand Jury Findings and Recommendations Mike Rogers Colusa County Dear Judge Berrier; 458-5871 This letter, provided pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933, is the Yuba County Probation Departments response to 2023/2024 Grand Jury Final Report – Findings and Recommendations concerning the annual investigation into the operation of the Yuba-Sutter Juvenile Hall. FACILITIES First off, I would like to thank the Grand Jury for the time and effort they put forth to James Moralez inspecting the Juvenile Hall and Camp Singer facilities. I enjoyed meeting with the Deputy Chief inspection committee and sharing the challenges of providing detention and Probation Officer rehabilitative services to the youth in our care. I felt the committee did a thorough 741-6371 x 14 inspection and expressed a real interest in understanding the facility operations and Fax 749-1749 programs. Brent Hungrige Please accept the following response to the 2023/2024 Grand Jury Findings and Juvenile Hall

No recommendations for this finding

Conclusions 9

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I wish to thank the 2023/2024 Grand Jury for their dedication, devotion and commitment to our community. We find value in the inspection process and despite our disagreement with some of the findings and recommendations we will continue to use the information to improve our performance and service. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. You can reach me via telephone at 530 749-7779 or via electronic mail at [email protected]. Sincerely, Worldol Ac Bran Wendell Anderson Sheriff-Coroner Yuba County Board of Supervisors cc: Yuba County Counsel
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. . . RECEIVED Tri-County Youth Development Center Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center AUG 1 6 2024 938 14th Street • Marysville, CA 95901 Clerk/Board of Supervi (530)741-6371 Tri-County Probation Chiefs June 6, 2024 Matt Ricardy Yuba County The Honorable Stephen M. Berrier 749-7550 Yuba County Superior Court 215 5th Street, Suite 200 Donna Garcia Sutter County Marysville, CA 95901 822-7320 RE: Response to 2023-2024 Grand Jury Findings and Recommendations Mike Rogers Colusa County Dear Judge Berrier; 458-5871 This letter, provided pursuant to California Penal Code Section 933, is the Yuba County Probation Departments response to 2023/2024 Grand Jury Final Report – Findings and Recommendations concerning the annual investigation into the operation of the Yuba-Sutter Juvenile Hall. FACILITIES First off, I would like to thank the Grand Jury for the time and effort they put forth to James Moralez inspecting the Juvenile Hall and Camp Singer facilities. I enjoyed meeting with the Deputy Chief inspection committee and sharing the challenges of providing detention and Probation Officer rehabilitative services to the youth in our care. I felt the committee did a thorough 741-6371 x 14 inspection and expressed a real interest in understanding the facility operations and Fax 749-1749 programs. Brent Hungrige Please accept the following response to the 2023/2024 Grand Jury Findings and Juvenile Hall Recommendations: Probation Program Manager Finding 1 741-6371 x 23 Fax 741-6304 The Yuba County Grand Jury finds the Tri-County Juvenile Hall very clean, organized, and despite the age of the facility, exhibits every indication of being well run and serving the needs of the youth and the community. Dan Ritner Camp Singer Recommendation 1 Probation Program We agree with this finding. Facility staff make every effort to help the youth improve Manager 741-6371 x 33 themselves and make better decisions in their life. Fax 741-6249 Finding 2 The Yuba County Grand Jury finds the Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center very Rachel Kitchens clean, organized, well equipped, and exhibits every indication of being well run and Administrative serving the needs of the youth and the community. Services Officer 741-6371 x 11 Fax 749-1749
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Tri-County Youth Development Center Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center 938 14th Street • Marysville, CA 95901 (530)741-6371 Recommendation 2 We agree with this finding. Facility staff make every effort to help the youth improve themselves and make better decisions in their life. Finding 3 The Yuba County Grand Jury finds the automated telephone system serving both the Juvenile Hall and Camp Singer did not capture the voicemails that two Grand Jury members left to arrange an appointment for a tour. Recommendation 3 We investigated this finding at the request of the Grand Jury. An investigation into this concern consisted of several calls made to the phone system from several outside numbers. Multiple voicemails were left by the callers and received by the recipient. The facility's phone system is part of the county's Mitel Communication System and supported by the County's Information Technologies Department. We would refer further questions regarding the phone system to the Yuba County IT Department. Respectfully Submitted, Dan Ritner Brent Hungrige Probation Program Manager Probation Program Manager Maxine Singer Youth Guidance Center Tri County Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility James Moralez Deputy Chief Probation Officer
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RECEIVED SEP 06 2024 The County of Yuba Clerk/Board of Supervisors OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES (530) 749-7520 - PHONE (530) 749-7524 - FAX KEVIN MALLEN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES SEAN POWERS August 13, 2024 ASSISTANCE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICE OSCAR MARIN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANAGER The Honorable Stephen Berrier Yuba County Superior Court 215 5th Street, Suite 200 Marysville, CA 95901 RE: Office of Emergency Services Response to 2023 - 2024 Yuba County Grand Jury Findings Dear Judge Berrier: This letter is provided to you in response to findings made by Yuba County Grand Jury in their 2023 - 2024 Report. We greatly appreciate the commitment and dedication by your members of the 2023 - 2024 Grand Jury to prepare the annual report. We praise the Grand Jury for their devotion to making Yuba County a better place to live, work, and play. Please accept the following responses to the Grand Jury findings: Topic: Combating Potential Flooding in Yuba County Office of Emergency Services Finding F1: The Yuba County Emergency Plan has been updated since August 20215. R1. Update the Yuba County Office of Emergency Services Plan. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the finding, however the previous administration began an update in 2019, but unfortunately in 2020, COVID - 19 halted the update. The updates have resumed and currently estimating around the beginning of 2025. Office of Emergency Services Finding F2: An additional river water level monitoring system is needed at the confluence of Yuba River and Feather River near Shanghai Bend. R2. Provide an additional river water level monitoring system The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the finding and would like to note that currently the Department of Water Resources is installing a more robust and updated river gauge on the Feather River. The location is currently being discussed, but
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the Office of Emergency Services will request that placement be considered in the confluence of the Yuba and Feather River near Shanghai Bend area. Office of Emergency Services Finding F3: There is no flow rate gauge at or below the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers. R3. Install a flow rate gauge at or below the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the findings and would like to address that we are currently in discussions with the Department of Water Resources in looking into adding more river gauges along the Feather River. The Office of Emergency Services will continue to advocate for our areas north along our county's levees and near Bear River and Feather River confluence. Office of Emergency Services Finding F4: Need Evacuation Plans for specific critical areas. R4. Based on the previously inundated areas, we recommend dividing the county into critical zones and developing specific evacuation plans for these areas. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with the findings and has adopted Zonehaven into our county which has divided the county into Zones based on evacuation routes for county residents. We have currently acquired a new software platform called, LADRIS AI which uses artificial intelligences in real-time traffic evacuation modeling. This new software will allow for the training, planning, and developing specific evacuation plans for our specific critical areas. Yuba County Sheriff Office has the authority over public safety in our county. They will be implementing the tactical operations of all evacuations in our county using Zonehaven and LADRIS AI software. Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Yuba County Office of Emergency Services Finding F1: There did not appear to be a clear leader identified to manage emergency response, as there seemed to be a disconnect between multiple departments. However, one department relied heavily on a collaboration that was directed by the Bi-County Health Officer. R1: There should be an established Emergency Plan available to guide emergency responses, rather than relying primarily on the direction of the Bi-County Health Officer. The Office of Emergency Services partially agrees with your findings. In our current Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) activation of our Emergency Operation Center (EOC) we do have established organizational structure in place to respond to all emergency response activations. The Bi-County Health Officer does become part of the command team during public health emergencies and establish a unified command structure, so we can assure the needs of our response are being met. Your recommendations will be implemented in updating EOP and show more specific organizational structure for the different emergency responses in Yuba County.
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Office of Emergency Services Findings F2: Local public health directives did not coordinate with local law enforcement prior to announcements. R2: The plan should include processes for local Public Health authorities to coordinate with all affected agencies before making public announcements. The Office of Emergency Services agrees with your findings. Although, our current EOP has an established standard operating procedure for emergency public information releases during EOC activations. When the EOC is activated, the activation of the Joint Information Center (JIC) is also activated. This allows for a coordinated release of public emergency information and making sure all stakeholders are aware of the message before it is released. Your recommendations will be implemented in updating the EOP and show a more specific dissemination of information process to address that all agencies are included. Office of Emergency Services Finding F3: The After-Action Report was not comprehensive and reflective of the entire pandemic emergency. R3: There should be a comprehensive process for After-Action Reports that are reflective of the entire pandemic response. The AAR only encompassed May 2021 to December 2021. The Office of Emergency Services partially agrees with your findings. There are currently plans in the Emergency Operations Plans for completing an After-Action Report, however your recommendations will be implemented in the updating of the EOP and show the Standardize Emergency Management Systems (SEMS) regulations requiring our county to complete an After- Action Report following an EOC activation to a declared emergency within 90 days of ending an incident. Sincerely, sem ME Oscar Marin Emergency Operations Manager
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County of YubaBoard of Supervisors District One ~ Andy Vasquez District Two ~ Don Blaser District Three ~ Seth Fuhrer District Four ~ Gary Bradford District Five ~ Jon Messick RECEIVED August 27, 2024 SEP 06 2024 The Honorable Stephen Berrier Clerk/Board of Supervisors Yuba County Superior Court 215 5th Street, Suite 200 Marysville, CA 95901 RE: Board of Supervisors Response to 2023-2024 Yuba County Grand Jury Findings Dear Judge Berrier: This letter is provided to you in response to findings made by Yuba County Grand Jury in their 2023-2024 Report. We appreciate the effort that was clearly made by the members of the 2023-2024 Grand Jury to prepare the annual report and applaud their dedication to making Yuba County a better place to live, work, and play. Please accept the following responses to the Grand Jury findings: Topic: Staffing Losses Affect Operations at Yuba County Jail Yuba County Jail Finding FI: Repeated issues with sewer backups in the jails causing standing water and sewage. Board of Supervisors Response: The Board agrees partially with the finding and it should be noted that the maintenance and retrofitting of plumbing has been ongoing for years. The jail was originally constructed in 1962 and despite being remodeled in the early 1990's, the plumbing is for the most part original. Unfortunately, inmates periodically sabotage the plumbing systems with the intention of causing disruption. To minimize the actions of these individuals, protocols and procedures in the jail are constantly monitored and best practices are utilized when possible. The Yuba County Jail has periodically had incidents where the sewer has backed up in a housing unit. In each instance, the County has identified the cause as inmates flushing items such as clothing, towels, food, plastic commissary bags and paper towels down their toilets. This has resulted in $11,271.04 for plumbing services for necessary repairs just in fiscal year 2023-2024. Correctional and maintenance staff have established a system for limited flushing per toilet to help mitigate these clogged toilets. This process has significantly reduced the ability of inmates to flood their cells/pods by flushing clothes, towels, and food. The County has spent $146,057.03 over the last 4 fiscal years replacing plumbing at the Jail and will continue into the future as we update our infrastructure.
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Yuba County Jail Finding F2: Grand Jury noted a few areas of the jail emanated odors that made a few of the Grand Jury members touring the facility physically ill. The areas noted as having the strongest odors from the clothing/laundry room, the medical hold cells, and the women's dorm-style cells (large). Board of Supervisors Response: Based on information received from the Sheriff's Office, the Board partially disagrees with this finding. Jail leadership accompanied the Grand Jury during their tour(s) and noted no strong odors. At no time during any of the tour(s), did they receive any complaint(s) of odor or illness by a member of the Grand Jury. Clarification from the affected Grand Jury members would assist in identifying the cause. Three specific areas were noted and each is addressed below. On a daily basis, all incarcerated individuals are provided with cleaning supplies to maintain the cleanliness and sanitation of their housing units. This includes the medical holding cells and women's housing units. Despite providing cleaning supplies and instruction, inmates do not always comply with these rules. When encountered with non-compliant inmates, the inmate(s) are removed from their housing unit and the area is cleaned and sanitized by inmate workers and/or staff. The clothing/laundry area normally holds clean clothes that are distributed to inmates when needed. Dirty laundry is seldom kept in the laundry room unless it is for a short period of time until it can be taken to the washing room located in the basement. Jail staff utilizes approved industrial strength chemicals to wash the inmate clothing. The product used is Chlorine Rinse HE, and the chemical name is Sodium Hypochlorite Solution. It is a broad-spectrum disinfectant that is effective for the disinfection of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mycobacterium. Odors are minimal and use of such products are necessary in maintaining sanitary conditions within the facility. Yuba County Jail Finding F3: The loss of the ICE contract has resulted in a marked staffing issue that could be contributing to some of the previous findings. Board of Supervisors Response: The Board of Supervisors wholly disagrees with this finding. In February 2023, the County lost its Federal contract with ICE, and the associated revenue, however in August 2022, the County entered into a Federal contract with the US Marshal Service in anticipation of losing the ICE contract to minimize the fiscal impact from these supplemental funding sources. The primary source of revenue to operate the Yuba County Jail is the County's discretionary fund simply called the General Fund. General Fund revenue is derived from local taxes, primarily property and sales tax. The Board of Supervisors have proactively worked with the Sheriff's Department to ensure that there is adequate General Fund available for Sheriff Department operations, including the jail. The General Funds utilized by the Sheriff's Department in 2023-2024 were $25,344,347. In comparison, the General Funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 were $20,397,820 and General Funds budgeted for the Sheriff's Department for fiscal year 2024-2025 are $30,766,548. This investment in local revenue into Sheriff Department operations represents the single largest investment in a County Department of local taxes received by the County. Topic: Yuba County Sheriff's K-9 Unit- Keeping Yuba County Safe Finding F1: Patrol dogs in Yuba County provide an essential service to the citizens as well as the deputies. The K-9s are an important deterrent to potentially violent situations. They are a valuable resource that provides a positive bridge between the community and the Sheriff's Department. Board of Supervisors Response: The Board wholly agrees with this finding.
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Finding F2: The financial impact of the dogs on the county is minimal when compared to the service they provide. Board of Supervisors Response: The Board wholly agrees with this finding. Finding F3: There is currently no trained drug dog to assist with contraband in the jail and community services. Board of Supervisors Response: The Board partially disagrees with this finding. In March of 2024 Correctional Officer Jesse Saldana joined the Yuba County Sheriff's Office K9 Unit with his partner, K9 Ghost, a Labrador retriever trained to detect narcotics and contraband in the jail facility. In fiscal year 2024-2025 there is a planned and budgeted K9 to be added to the Probation Department to further expand the County's K9 capabilities and the County will continue to look for K9 opportunities in the future. Sincerely, Don Blaser Chair

* 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.