San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury • 2011-2012

San Luis Obispo County 2011-2012 Grand Jury Final Report

Published: May 30, 2012 198 pages Consolidated Report

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Findings 25 findings

A primary responsibility of a governing board is financial oversight and accountability.

Governing board members overseeing the county’s ten districts, similar to governing board members statewide, are offered education and training in school district budgeting and financial oversight, but seldom take maximum advantage of the workshops offered.

All ten school districts in San Luis Obispo County are currently in deficit spending.

In January 2012, the County Superintendent of Schools agreed with the decision of the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District management to declare negative status.

The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District and its unions agreed to take six staff furlough days in May of this year, in order to reduce expenditures sufficiently to end the fiscal year with positive reserves.

The County Superintendent has issued “qualified” warnings to four other school districts, Atascadero, Lucia Mar Unified, San Miguel Joint Unified, and Shandon Joint Unified, and suggested that they make new budget cuts to remain solvent over the next two years.

Two districts, Templeton and Pleasant Valley, rely on Revenue Limit funding from the state, have maintained substantial reserves and are expected to weather the current state budget crisis with minimal disruption of their education programs.

Three Basic Aid districts, Cayucos, San Luis Coastal and Coast Unified, which receive revenue from local property taxes and have maintained substantial reserves, are expected to weather the current state budget crisis with minimal disruption of their education programs. 73

The County Superintendent of Schools has advised the county school districts to prepare budgets that assume the proposed ballot initiatives to raise state income taxes and sales taxes in order to increase funding for public education statewide will not pass.

F10

During the current school year, State Lottery proceeds will provide about $4.8 million to the ten school districts in San Luis Obispo County, 17 % less than the previous year and only 1.8% of the total $267 million in annual revenues the ten school districts will receive this year.

F11

A parcel tax is a viable revenue source for school districts; however, the two-thirds voter approval requirement is a substantial challenge.

F12

Landscaping is open to Men’s Honor Farm. Duties include mowing grass, cleaning plant beds and arrangement of landscaping materials.

F13

Horticulture is open to Men’s Honor Farm. Inmates grow tomatoes, broccoli and bell peppers, among other vegetables.

F14

Road Work is open to inmates of the Men’s Honor Farm. Inmates learn skills from County road and tree crews and Cal Trans. Cutting trees, clearing roads, and equipment operation are skills translated into employment upon release.

F15

Communications Shop is open to Men’s Honor Farm. Here inmates learn skills in electronic repairs, such as for radios.

F16

County Garage and Car Wash is open to Men’s Honor Farm. Inmates clean and detail county automobiles.

F17

Kennel Worker is open to Men’s Honor Farm. Duties include cleaning kennels, feeding animals and general maintenance.

F18

Cleaning is open to Men and Women’s Honor Farm. Inmates vacuum and buff floors, dust, and clean windows for the Honor Farm and Court services.

F19

Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous and Ministry Services are open to all inmates.

F20

Forensic Reentry Services (FRS) is a Community Service/Outreach Program supervised by County Mental Health. FRS has two full time case managers. The FRS team, together with the jail Psychiatric Services, assists inmates scheduled for release who have a primary mental health diagnosis or co-occurring disorder(s). The goal is to bridge the transition from the jail to community services, including but not limited to housing, food, fiscal planning, employment, medical care, mental health follow-ups, and social security/insurance needs.

F21

Forensic Coordination Team (FCT) is open to mentally ill offenders who require more intensive supervision.

F22

Police and Corrections Team (PACT) is open to parolees from the jail or state prison. It involves a monthly meeting and “services fair” for parolees in need of community resources and services.

F23

Drug Court is open to all inmates through Probation. It consists of an 18 month intensive supervision and counseling program to reduce recidivism for lower-risk inmates.

F24

Mental Health Court is open to mentally ill offenders through the Probation Department. It attempts to find alternatives to incarceration. 51

F25

Proposition 36 is open to all inmates. It is similar to Drug Court and offered through the state Parole Department. It directs those arrested for parole violations to participate in alcohol and drug counseling while in the jail. ARE PASO ROBLES SCHOOL BUDGETARY WOES A LESSON FOR OTHER DISTRICTS? SUMMARY Last fall, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (District) found itself facing budget problems serious enough to predict that it might end this year nearly bankrupt. The primary causes were as follows:

Recommendations 16

R1

– Morro Bay should review its water rate schedule.
R2

– Paso Robles, Avila Beach Community Services District (CSD), and San Simeon CSD should consider adopting tiered water rates that target high volume users. Avila Beach CSD agreed to future implementation of this recommendation.
R3

– Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, Cambria CSD, Heritage Ranch CSD, Los Osos CSD, Nipomo CSD, Oceano CSD, San Miguel CSD 21 Partially implemented 22 Partially implemented 36 and Templeton CSD should consider revising water bills to show rate tiers, water usage for each tier and the charges for each tier. Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo23 and Templeton CSD agreed to implement this recommendation in the future.
R4

– The Emergency Medical Services Agency should include a representative from the State Parks Rangers on its operations and quality improvement subcommittees.22 Rate Setting As a Water Conservation Tool
R5

The Governing Boards of Atascadero, Lucia Mar, Paso Robles, San Miguel, and Shandon school districts should seriously consider a parcel tax as a revenue source and educate the public about its importance and viability.
R6

– Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Morro Bay, Avila Beach CSD, Cambria CSD, and San Simeon CSD should consider revising sewer bills to show that water usage affects sewer charges. Arroyo Grande and Morro Bay agreed to implement this recommendation in the future. Partially implemented 37 THE COUNTY JAIL, JUVENILE HALL, AND HOLDING CELLS: INSPECTION AND INFORMATION REPORT
R7

a – Improve website access and information, provide easier access to restaurant inspection reports and searches, and implement a more user-friendly website with a consistent search method.21 Paso Robles Bearcat Athletic Foundation Recommendations 1 through 5 and 7 involving the foundation’s procedures would be rendered moot if the foundation were to dissolve, as promised. However, that process has yet to be completed. Emergency Medical Helicopters The responding Agency is San Luis Obispo County Health Agency.
R8

The Ground Squirrel Hollow CSD website should include a functional link to its annual budget and approved board minutes.
R9

The Independence Ranch CSD website should meet the agenda requirement and include a functional link to its annual budget and approved board minutes.
R10

The Oceano CSD website should include a functional link to its annual budget and approved board minutes.
R11

The San Miguel CSD website should include a functional link to its annual budget and approved board minutes.
R12

The San Simeon CSD website should include a functional link to its annual budget and approved board minutes.
R13

The Squire Canyon CSD website should repair the link to its board agendas and minutes, and include a functional link to its annual budget.
R14

The Templeton CSD website should include a functional link to its annual budget and approved board minutes.
R15

San Luis Obispo County should repair or create links between its website and each CSD website. 93
R20-40

requests per day. This does not include staff telephone calls for emergency situations (a common occurrence), court-ordered evaluations or various requests from service providers and family members for immediate evaluation of an at-risk inmate. Staff reported that prescription costs exceed $370,000, of which $280,000 is for psychiatric medication. Inmates from ASH and inmates receiving HIV medication are the primary sources of these costs. Roughly two-thirds of the Jail population is on prescription medication. A medical dispensary is staffed 24/7, with additional support from local hospitals, as needed. About 25 percent of the inmates are on psychiatric medication, down from 27 percent in the past. Health professionals at the Jail expressed concern regarding the high cost of anti-psychotic drugs required for inmates transferred from ASH due to violent activity. Housing: The Jail has six housing units and an Honor Farm. The Grand Jury found the cells to be clean and saw no graffiti. Personal possessions (art and books) are allowed in the cells. There are too few real beds. Due to overcrowding in certain areas, some inmates sleep in hard plastic “boats” (also known as “portable beds”) or on floor mattresses. Although the “boats” cannot be stowed 27 “Grand Jury Jail Tour, October 31, 2011,” p. 1 28 Ibid., p. 4 41 under existing beds when not in use, the floor mattresses can be. Currently, twelve inmates in the Main Jail are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. When the count exceeds 40 in the Women’s Jail, some women also sleep either in “boats” or on floor mattresses. Currently eighteen women in the Women’s Jail are in this situation.29 Two modular units in the Women’s Jail are being remodeled. These units will house 24 female Honor Farm inmates and include 8 additional beds in an area used for program activity. Once the remodeling is complete, video supervision will be installed. Inmates: The inmates appeared respectful, well-groomed, and clean. Their clothing fits. Inmates have access to telephones and are aware that their incoming and outgoing mail may be read. Confidential correspondence is allowed with attorneys, legal assistants and legislators. Inmates are allowed unlimited visits by attorneys and ministers. Social visitation is limited to two hours per week, or three hours per week on the Honor Farm. Staff supervises all visits. Inmate Programs:30 The Jail provides numerous rehabilitative services, several of which are financed by the Inmate Welfare Fund.31 See