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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.
El Dorado County Grand Jury
• 2000-2001
Animal Control Facilities, South Lake Tahoe
⚠️ 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 2 findings
F1
Page 165
The office area, kennels and cat rooms were clean, neat, and well maintained. Response to F1: Respondent agrees with finding.
F2
Page 165
The following findings from last years Grand Jury still exist: · #1 The sloping roof in the kennel area is so low that it causes employees to work in a stooped position; · #2 The kennel gates contact the ceiling, restricting the gate openings to approximately 45 degrees; · #3 Fluorescent lights are suspended from low ceilings creating a potential for head injuries; · #4 There was a broken window in the kennel area; · #5 The roof over the euthanasia room is badly deteriorated; · #6 Water, sink, and floor drains are not provided in the euthanasia room; · #7 Asphalt in the animal exercise area is badly deteriorated and breaking up; 1 66 · #8 Barbed wire is broken and hanging on the fence around the exercise area; · #9 There are no provisions to control runoff from the slope behind the building. This causes occasional flooding of some interior areas of the building; · #10 The asphalt driveway and parking area used by department vehicles are steep and hazardous to use during snow and ice conditions. Employees have sustained injuries from falls in these areas, and vehicles have slid down the slope while parked; · #11 There is no access for the public to enter the facility, other than walking up the driveway; · #12 There are no provisions for handicapped entry; · #13 The facility is not enclosed by a security fence. Response to F2: The respondent agrees with the finding.
Recommendations 13
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R1Page 166The response to the 1999/2000 Grand Jury Report indicated that funding to correct the findings identified would be included in the County budget for 2001/2002. The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors insure that this funding is included in the 2001/2002 budget. Response to Recommendation R1: The El Dorado County FY 99/00 Grand Jury response was as follows: “One of the unsafe conditions was an outside handrail that was deteriorating. It has been replaced. Electrical plates have been installed. The roof has been repaired; however, the cause of the damage is the inadequate slope of the roofline, which doesn’t allow snow and melting water to exit. The roof needs to be re-engineered and replaced otherwise the condition will reoccur. The floor drain-resurfacing project has been approved as an ACO project for FY –00-01. Once completed, the drains will allow water to exit. A work Order has been issued for the repair of the deck that holds the outside freezers. The Department (Health) will submit a detailed request to General Services to review current facility needs to be included in fiscal year 2001/2002 capital projects. Intermediate solutions for public access to the facility during the winter include more frequent spreading of cinders on the drive and building handrails. The facility is very old and has had several modifications and structural additions to the main building. Most of the recommendations cannot be implemented at a reasonable cost due to structural limitations, i.e., the entire roof would need to be removed and raised to ensure an ergonomically and safe working environment. Making the necessary 1 67 recommended repairs will most likely exceed the cost of replacing the existing facility.” Response to Recommendation R1: The recommendation will not be implemented because it is unreasonable. Since the County can not implement the entire recommendation, the County is limited to the above response. However, each of the items referring to the F2 above is addressed below. 1. Renovating the kennel area’s sloping roof. Renovating the roof will not be done because it is cost prohibitive. However, the Health Department in coordination with General Services will continue to consider other options (new building, leased building, etc.) as funding and availability of space in the South Lake Tahoe area occur. 2. Kennel Gates: Because this issue is related to the kennel area and the condition of the roof, the situation needs to be evaluated and will be addressed within the next 6 months. 3. Fluorescent lights: These ceiling lights, not hanging lights, are also related to the sloping roof situation. General Services will move the lighting fixtures to a safer location. 4. The broken window: General Services has repaired one window; however, two additional have recently been reported and will be repaired by the September 28th. 5. Euthanasia roof: General Services has discovered dry rot and insect damage and is in the process of contracting for this work. The repair will be completed by April 30, 2002. 6. Water, sink, and floor drains: The floor drain resurfacing has not been completed because of a backlog of capital improvement projects (CIP) with higher priorities. The FY00/01 scheduled project therefore became a carryforward project in FY01/02 that will be completed by June 30, 2002. 7. Animal exercise-area: The animal exercise area will be evaluated within the next 6 months and if warranted included in the FY 2002/03 capital improvement budget. 8. Barbed wire: This has been an ongoing problem because the wire can not withstand the weight of the snow in the winter and is constantly breaking. General Service will immediately remove the broken barbed wire and will investigate alternatives for security fencing. 1 68 9. Runoff control behind the building: Runoff behind the building causes occasional flooding in interior offices. The drainage behind the building had been managed by a swale at the bottom of the hill. Over the years, erosion has filled in the swale. General Services has initiated an evaluation and believes several permitting agencies will be involved in the restructuring of the drainage system. Depending on the permitting process, General Services will budget in the 2002/03 CIP budget. In the meantime GS will perform minor cleaning of the swale area to reduce the possibility of future flooding. 10. Steep asphalt driveway: As stated in last year’s Grand Jury response cinders and salt will continue to be spread on the drive during winter conditions. Handrails were not built as anticipated because of other workloads and priority projects. General Services will install handrails by November 30, 2001. 11. Lack of public access. Absent a new building site public access can not be reasonably accomplished. Although space is limited the parking area accommodates 3 to 4 vehicles at a time. Most of the time this is sufficient. When it is not, parking spaces are available at the bottom of the drive. 12. Handicapped entry problems: Currently cars can pull up to the back non- public that can accommodate a wheelchair. Inside, persons using wheelchairs can access the cat rooms, but not the dog rooms. However, the Health Department in coordination with General Services will continue to consider other options (new building, leased building, etc.) as funding and availability of space in the South Lake Tahoe area occur. With a new building and/or location, handicap access can be provided. 13. Security fence. The Board recognizes that a fence is needed to keep animals from escaping during loading and unloading periods. A security fence may not be possible because it will possibly affect TRPA land coverage requirements. General Services will report back to the Board as to the possibility and timeframes if it is Responses Required for Findings
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R2Page 166Kennel Gates: Because this issue is related to the kennel area and the condition of the roof, the situation needs to be evaluated and will be addressed within the next 6 months.
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R3Page 166Fluorescent lights: These ceiling lights, not hanging lights, are also related to the sloping roof situation. General Services will move the lighting fixtures to a safer location.
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R4Page 166The broken window: General Services has repaired one window; however, two additional have recently been reported and will be repaired by the September 28th.
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R5Page 166Euthanasia roof: General Services has discovered dry rot and insect damage and is in the process of contracting for this work. The repair will be completed
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R6Page 166Water, sink, and floor drains: The floor drain resurfacing has not been completed because of a backlog of capital improvement projects (CIP) with higher priorities. The FY00/01 scheduled project therefore became a carryforward project in FY01/02 that will be completed
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R7Page 166Animal exercise-area: The animal exercise area will be evaluated within the next 6 months and if warranted included in the FY 2002/03 capital improvement budget.
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R8Page 166Barbed wire: This has been an ongoing problem because the wire can not withstand the weight of the snow in the winter and is constantly breaking. General Service will immediately remove the broken barbed wire and will investigate alternatives for security fencing. 1 68
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R9Page 166Runoff control behind the building: Runoff behind the building causes occasional flooding in interior offices. The drainage behind the building had been managed by a swale at the bottom of the hill. Over the years, erosion has filled in the swale. General Services has initiated an evaluation and believes several permitting agencies will be involved in the restructuring of the drainage system. Depending on the permitting process, General Services will budget in the 2002/03 CIP budget. In the meantime GS will perform minor cleaning of the swale area to reduce the possibility of future flooding.
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R10Page 167Steep asphalt driveway: As stated in last year’s Grand Jury response cinders and salt will continue to be spread on the drive during winter conditions. Handrails were not built as anticipated because of other workloads and priority projects. General Services will install handrails
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R11Page 167Lack of public access. Absent a new building site public access can not be reasonably accomplished. Although space is limited the parking area accommodates 3 to 4 vehicles at a time. Most of the time this is sufficient. When it is not, parking spaces are available at the bottom of the drive.
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R12Page 167Handicapped entry problems: Currently cars can pull up to the back non- public that can accommodate a wheelchair. Inside, persons using wheelchairs can access the cat rooms, but not the dog rooms. However, the Health Department in coordination with General Services will continue to consider other options (new building, leased building, etc.) as funding and availability of space in the South Lake Tahoe area occur. With a new building and/or location, handicap access can be provided.
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R13Page 167Security fence. The Board recognizes that a fence is needed to keep animals from escaping during loading and unloading periods. A security fence may not be possible because it will possibly affect TRPA land coverage requirements. General Services will report back to the Board as to the possibility and timeframes if it is Responses Required for Findings F2 El Dorado County Board of Supervisors Responses Required for Recommendations R1 El Dorado County Board of Supervisors 1 69