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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Siskiyou County Grand Jury • 2013-2014

Watchdog: Office of Public Administrator

1 pages
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Findings 4 findings

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attorneys in the Office of County the decedent’s remains; assemble a list the responsibility of the County to into the Public Administrator’s Office. The office and storage space assigned Counsel. of assets, including bank accounts, take care of all final arrangements, The log showed that the overwhelm- to the Assistant Public Administrator cash, promissory notes and debts, such as inventory and disposition ing number of cases deal with the is inadequate. It is unreasonable to ex- stocks and bonds, business interests, of personal assets, and providing final deaths and estates of indigent county pect the APA to work in the same real property, motor vehicle, insurance disposition of the body. residents. room where coffee breaks are taken. RESPONSES REQUIRED: and miscellaneous items. Disposition of the remains is normally During the period covering January
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respond to Findings 1 - 4. method of transferring assets; fulfills However, the county contracts indi- The decedent’s date of death was The training standards for the APA are all probate duties; reviews Court doc- gent cremation at $1900. The APA February 9, 2006. This was originally unclear. The County Counsel is requested to uments and determines appropriate files paperwork for the County, applies a Public Guardian Case, which was respond to
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The procedures for bidding function and operations of various may be appointed as Assistant as executor. duties to the best of their abilities. and contracting services related to the county departments. In carrying out Public Admnistrator (APA). The However, the conditions under which functions of the Public Administrator this responsibility, the 2012 - 2013 APA is responsible for carrying When inventory and disposition of the APA operates are not optimal. The should be reveiwed. Grand Jury elected to look into the out the day-to-day operations of the personal possessions is required, work/storage space assigned to the office of the Siskiyou County Public Public Administrator Office and a local contractor, experienced in APA is inadequate. It is unclear how Administrator. reports directly to the District holding estate sales, is hired to sort much, if any, specific training is
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The District Attorney’s of Section 24300 of the California containing all of the Public Adminis- whelming, there are also times when appear to be primarily civil in nature. office primarily handles criminal Government Code, the offices of trator’s records, also doubles as the the APA is utilized as a Legal It appears to the Grand Jury that this procedures and complaints. It is District Attorney and Public Adminis- coffee room. Space is definitely at a Secretary in performing other duties function would be better served in the unclear why the civil function of trator were consolidated. premium in this room and access to within the District Attorney’s Office. office of the County Counsel, which Public Administrator is assigned to the PA file cabinet would be hindered Conversely, although the APA mainly deals with civil matters, rather than the this office. The office of the Public Administrator by anyone sitting at the conference works alone, other staff in the DA’s District Attorney’s office. is charged with planning, organizing, table. office are available to help when coordinating, overseeing and carrying necessary.

Recommendations 4