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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.

Lake County Grand Jury • 2008-2009

Government Services Committee Reports

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Findings and Recommendations 36 findings

F1 Page 76
Water originating from Clear Lake goes to Yolo County and continues to the Sacramento River Delta and on to the aqueduct.
No recommendations for this finding
F2 Page 76
An MOU has been created between the Lake County Watershed Protection District and Yolo County.
No recommendations for this finding
F3 Page 76
Lake County was the first county in the State to adopt ordinances to restrict the purchase of pharmaceuticals to make illicit drugs.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Lake County has a structurally balanced budget. Government Services Committee
No recommendations for this finding
F5 Page 77
Supervisors select a District Planning Commissioner to represent the district. All Planning Commissioners, after being selected, must be approved by a majority of the Board.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
The Mental Health Department is a major concern. The Department’s in financial crisis and the County has transferred funds to repay a debt to the State and to enable the Department to pay vendors.
No recommendations for this finding
F7 Page 77
Supervisors are continually meeting with the IHSS Program Authority to improve the In Home Support Services (IHSS) program.
No recommendations for this finding
F8 Page 77
Efforts are being made to purchase and preserve Mt. Konocti, see website.1
No recommendations for this finding
F9 Page 77
County Counsel provides training to the Board of Supervisors in the Brown Act and ethics.
No recommendations for this finding
F10 Page 77
New members of the Board receive the majority of training on the job.
No recommendations for this finding
F11 Page 77
The County is currently well positioned financially, although the local tax base is down. The County is relying on stimulus funds for Special Districts for water and sewer upgrades and bridges and road repairs through the Department of Public Works.
No recommendations for this finding
F12 Page 77
Lake County budget is in the black because of sound fiscal management.
No recommendations for this finding
F13 Page 77
Over 50% of tax revenues goes toward larger departments including, The District Attorney’s Office, The Department of Probation, the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Social Services.
No recommendations for this finding
F14 Page 77
The pay scale for the Board of Supervisors is one of the lowest in the State.
No recommendations for this finding
F15 Page 77
There is currently no litigation against any individual member of the Board of Supervisors.
No recommendations for this finding
F16 Page 77
School districts and Yuba College receive a majority of property tax revenues.
No recommendations for this finding
F17 Page 77
Money from the General Fund is used to pay the County’s portion of IHSS services. This money is subsequently reimbursed by the State.
No recommendations for this finding
F18 Page 77
The County received the “Green Leadership Award”, from the State, in Sacramento for the solar power system. The award was in recognition of the County’s solar power installation.
No recommendations for this finding
F19 Page 77
At least one Board Member is trying to procure funds for the “Montana Meth Project”.2 1 http://www.preservekonocti.org/ Government Services Committee
No recommendations for this finding
F20
Redevelopment funds were used to: o Purchase an island in Clearlake Oaks to remove blighted housing o Cleanup and beautification of the Plaza and Nylander Park o Purchase a red-tagged building in Lucerne that was removed for redevelopment purposes
No recommendations for this finding
F21 Page 78
Citizens are encouraged to “buy local” to enhance the tax revenues and bolster the local economy.
No recommendations for this finding
F22 Page 78
The unemployment rate, at the time of this oversight, in Lake County was 10%.
No recommendations for this finding
F23 Page 78
When District Supervisors visit the Grand Jury individually, jury members obtain more information regarding the issues of each individual District.
No recommendations for this finding
F24 Page 78
Lake County is self-insured with a $10,000 deductible. Risk Management, a division of the County Counsel’s Office, manages both the public liability and workers compensation program. The workers compensation program is administered by third parties through the California State Association of Counties, (CSAC).
No recommendations for this finding
F25 Page 78
The County does not use time clocks to record employees’ time. Three of four department heads interviewed during oversights conducted by the committee, indicated a desire for an automated timekeeping system.
No recommendations for this finding
F26 Page 109
A Golf Course Committee was established in regards to the proposed development that included a Boeger Development representative, two council members, the City Attorney and a consultant. Another city council member was an alternate.
No recommendations for this finding
F27 Page 109
At one council meeting a member of the public asked who was on the Golf Course Committee. At that time, no answer was given and no one acknowledged being on the committee. The member of the public was simply told that the committee no longer existed.
No recommendations for this finding
F28 Page 109
At the next council meeting, two members of the council and the City Attorney publicly acknowledged being on the Golf Course Committee.
No recommendations for this finding
F29 Page 109
No minutes were kept for meetings of the Golf Course Committee. The Grand Jury received accusations that three council members actually served on the Golf Course Committee and because there were no minutes, these accusations could not be validated or invalidated.
No recommendations for this finding
F30 Page 109
One council member is currently serving a fourth consecutive term and another is serving a sixth.
No recommendations for this finding
F31 Page 109
At a council meeting attended by committee members, the two longest serving council members sat back in their chairs and looked away when an Upper Lake citizen was addressing the City Council.
No recommendations for this finding
F32 Page 109
When the Upper Lake citizen asked the City Council members “Who will pay for the district land not owned by the City”, one of the longest Government Services Committee serving council members inappropriately responded, “The people of Upper Lake.”
No recommendations for this finding
F33 Page 110
The citizens of Lakeport can adopt an amendment to implement term limits.
No recommendations for this finding
F34 Page 110
Some of the council members take computer ethics courses.
No recommendations for this finding
F35 Page 110
An offer was made to record/broadcast video of the City Council Meetings. Streaming video broadcasts on the City’s website can be done at minimal cost.
No recommendations for this finding
F36 Page 110
The citizens of Lakeport deserve the opportunity to watch broadcasts of the City Council meetings from home.
No recommendations for this finding