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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.

Sacramento County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Review of Responses to the 2018-2019 Grand Jury

Published: ∼ June 30, 2019

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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.

Findings 13 findings

The current multiple funding mechanisms are neither effective nor sustainable for managing Elk Grove’s parks.

Public confusion and misunderstanding are evidenced by the need for extensive and repeated community outreach meetings and the mixed success in securing timely voter approval for needed revenue increases. Contributing to this confusion are: the division in roles for Elk Grove’s parks between the City of Elk Grove and Cosumnes Community Services District (CCSD); priorities among neighborhood and district-wide facilities; and the challenge of managing and understanding the park system as an integrated program.

The 19 different Landscape and Lighting (L&L) district assessment rates, varying by as much as a factor of four, cause significant inequities for Elk Grove residents in terms of payments they make and benefits they derive from Elk Grove parks. 27

The practice of contributing revenue from individual benefit zones to district-wide facilities as a priority ahead of funding parks within each benefit zone compounds the revenue shortages experienced by certain benefit zones.

The requirement in Proposition 218 to secure a public vote in order to increase funding in excess of a Consumer Price Index (CPI) index is an unwieldy restraint that impedes adequate funding to maintain, repair and restore Elk Grove parks.

The existing L&L assessment rates are insufficient to sustain maintenance, repair, and restoration for parks indefinitely. Specifically, in the short term, revenue from L&L assessment rates in BZ3 and BZ4 is insufficient to maintain, repair, and restore all parks in those benefit zones.

The emphasis on individual benefit zones and overlay districts creates a complex and costly administrative burden requiring fragmented budgeting and management, and voter approvals to generate adequate revenue.

The baseline budget for park maintenance, repair and restoration does not take into account, nor is it adequate to fund future park modifications or maintenance associated with new parks and programs.

CCSD’s practice of attempting to increase voter understanding and acceptance of financial responsibility for the parks program through various outreach efforts has had uneven results in terms of gaining greater voter participation and potentially influencing additional funding for this program.

F10

The City of Elk Grove and CCSD have not collaborated effectively to reform and restructure the system.

F11

The current hiring process is antiquated and too long which may discourage potential recruits. The Grand Jury notes that the Police Department is reviewing how the process might be updated and shortened.

F12

POST training requirements for driving and marksmanship contribute significantly to candidate washout/failure at the Police Academy.

F13

The Community Service Officer program has made a positive contribution to both the Sacramento PD and the citizens it serves. Not only has it enabled the PD to reduce call response times even as the population has grown but it has provided a good pool of candidates to fill full time police officer positions.

Recommendations 11

R1

CCSD and the City of Elk Grove, with the support of Sacramento County, should establish a Regional Task Force to examine the feasibility of replacing the existing system of funding park maintenance. The Regional Task Force membership should include all public officials whose constituents are directly affected. Observers may include representatives of all other related and interested agencies and constituencies such as Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), public and private advocates, etc. This recommendation should be completed
R2

This task force should identify all relevant laws, ordinances, regulations, policies and procedures that might need to be amended, revised or abolished to replace the existing system with a more simplified, streamlined, equitable and sustainable funding mechanism, such as an annual assessment on all real property in the area based on the assessed value of each parcel. This recommendation should be implemented by June 30, 2021. 28
R3

CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should evaluate and report to the Regional Task Force on the effect of reversing the existing practice of first transferring new revenues to district-wide and regional facilities, before budgeting for local park maintenance. This recommendation should be implemented
R4

CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should analyze and report to the Regional Task Force on the added short-term and long-term costs of the additional staffing and consultant services required for the practice of budgeting and managing 19 individual benefit zones and overlay districts in comparison with budgeting and managing these zones on an integrated basis. That analysis should include an examination of the additional costs for any new parks and zones created over the next decade. That analysis should also examine the costs of conducting educational sessions, surveys and elections, as well as preparing Engineer’s Reports to authorize L&L assessment fee increases. This recommendation should be implemented
R5

CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should conduct and report to the Regional Task Force an integrated analysis of all current revenue and projected revenue over 10 years to be collected for park maintenance, repair and restoration over the same period. Such an assessment will help gauge the adequacy of current and projected revenue without regard to the fragmentation of those resources under the current management structure. This recommendation should be implemented
R6

CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should analyze and report to the Regional Task Force on the 10-year growth of revenue permitted under the CPI growth factor, compared with a 10-year forecast of costs associated with park maintenance, repair and restoration. This recommendation should be implemented
R7

CCSD and the City of Elk Grove should adopt the plan developed by the Regional Task Force for implementation of a new system including relevant MOUs to enable agencies responsible for collecting appropriate tax revenues sufficient to provide park services and maintenance within all neighborhoods. This recommendation should be completed
R8

The Grand Jury recommends the Sacramento City Council and the Police Department continue to expand and make permanent the CSO Program and provide a strategy for the utilization of the CSO position by December of 2021.
R9

The Grand Jury recommends that bi-annual open forum style town hall meetings with the police officers moderated by the Mayor, City Manager, Police Chief and the Police Union Representative be conducted that would give officers and management an opportunity to discuss areas of concern and interest with the goal of bolstering support between police officers and community leaders. The Grand Jury recommends this meeting begin within the next six months.
R10

The Grand Jury recommends the Police Department establish a committee or forum of younger officers to provide input on the type of “incentives” or programs that are geared to the younger professional lifestyle in order to attract new officers. The goal would be to drive changes in the Police Department that will attract new candidates including lateral transfers and also assist in retaining current officers. The Grand Jury recommends this should be done within the next six months.
R11

The Grand Jury compliments the City and Sacramento Police Department for reviewing and relaxing restrictions on tattoos, and encourages them to take similar actions on body piercings and below the collar ponytails. The Police Department should reflect not only the diversity of the community but also what is now more prevalent and acceptable in order to increase the recruitment pool and better relate to the public they serve. The Grand Jury recommends this work begin immediately. 81