Sutter County Grand Jury • 2019-2020 • Agency Response

Live Oak September 8, 2020 The Honorable Susan E. Green Presiding Judge of the Sutter County Superior Court

Published: September 08, 2020 15 pages
Ver PDF original

Findings and Recommendations 8 findings

F2 Page 10
Disagree. The assertion of "overspending" was never addressed in any fashion by the Grand Jury. In fact, the City is getting its money's worth with its professional contracts.
No recommendations for this finding
F3 Page 10
Disagree. All members of the City Council have their ethics training certificates on file with the City Clerk.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Page 11
This is not a City issue but would be applicable to an individual Council Member for their consideration.
F4 Page 10
The City is not in a position to respond to this finding. Each individual Council Member would presumably have personal knowledge as to their financial positions. This is not an issue the City can control. All five of the City's Council Members have on file current Form 700s.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Page 11
This is not a City issue but would be applicable to an individual Council Member for their consideration.
F5 Page 10
Disagree. This "finding" has no basis in the law. There is no legal requirement to create any video recordings. If created they may be destroyed after 30 days. There is no requirement to post video recordings online. Because there is no requirement to create a video recording in the first instance it is impossible for them to be "incomplete" (ifthere is only a partial recording of a Council meeting this is of no moment because there is no obligation to record any portion of a Council meeting).
No recommendations for this finding
F6 Page 10
Disagree. This finding cannot be sustained. The Grand Jury Report is full of non-sequiturs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
Page 11
The subject of this recommendation was not addressed in the Grand Jury's Report. The recommendation will not be implemented as it is not wananted' That being said, there is no question that four members of the city council are courteous and strive to live within the City's rules of Parliamentary procedure (which are fully adequate for the conduct of the City's meetings). ln 2020 the Mayor has issued various memoranda to his fellow Council Members regarding procedure. There is no question that the four courteous members of the Council have strived to live within the rules. The Council as a body does not have the authority to expel one of its elected members.
F7 Page 10
Disagree. The Grand Jury Report makes no reference to service contracts. The assertion of "best practices" is misplaced. The Grand Jury did not analyze the fact that the City's professional contracts are proper and reasonable. Furthermore, as to Consultant Agreements not involving City Officials, the City uses a contractual template which contain the clauses in question.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
Page 11
The recomrnendation will not be implemented as it is not warranted. See response to the Grand Jury's Report.
F8 Page 10
Disagree. This "finding" is nothing more than an argument and an attempt to embellish "finding" 7 above. Some professional relationships do not lend themselves to "term limitations" and the services to be provided are well defined by statute in addition to what might be set forth in an agreement. Again, the City utilizes a form of contract for its consultants (who are not City Officials) which contain the suggested clauses.
No recommendations for this finding
F9 Page 10
Agree. Fl0. Agree pg.9
No recommendations for this finding