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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.
Mariposa County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
General Inquiry into County Operations: Development Services — Environmental Health Division, Building Department, and Planning Department
⚠️ 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.
Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F5
Findings 4 findings
F2
Page 32
Staff shortages in Environmental Health have created an overwhelming workload, putting the County at risk for timely identification of environmental hazards.
F3
Page 32
The continued vacancy in the position of Deputy Director and other staff positions for the Planning Department is having a direct effect on time management of County projects and timely department communications.
F4
Page 32
Building Department budget does not effectively reflect the department's revenue and expense streams as an enterprise fund, making the Building Department budget unclear and confusing. FS Although lumped together under the tenn Development Services, the Departments of Planning and Building, and the Division of Environmental Health have separate procedures for how work is managed leading to confusion, lack of efficiency and complaints from the community.
F6
Page 33
Lack of fonnal written policies and procedures for the Planning and Building Departments and the Division of Environmental Health has led to confusion in completing job tasks among employees, affecting quality and timeliness of work in Development Services.
Recommendations 4
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R2Page 33Immediately, effort should be made to address staff shortages in the Environmental Health Division
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R3Page 33Immediately, effort should be made to address the Planning Department Deputy Director and other staff vacancies.
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R4Page 33Working with Administration, the interim Building Department Director should evaluate and establish an effective reflection of the department's budget as an enterprise within six (6) months. RS Immediately, policies and procedures should be written for the Departments of Planning and Building and the Division of Environmental Health.
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R6Page 33Within one (1) year, written policies and procedures for the Departments of Planning and Building and the Division of Environmental Health should be reviewed for consistency and accuracy across the units. The following governing boards are required to respond pursuant to Penal Code sections §933 and §933.05: Board of Supervisors: FI, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, RI, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, The following appointed officials are invited to respond : Building Interim Director: Fl, F4, F5, F6, R2, R5, R6 Chief Administrative Officer: f 4, F6, RI, R5 HHSA, Interim Director: F2, F5, F6, R3, R6 Planning Director: FI, F3, F5, F6, RI, R4, R6 Per Penal Code §933.0S(a)( I) and (2), responses must include acceptance, refutal, and/or clarification of the findings, and a commitment to implementing the recommendations, as appropriate, per Penal Code §933.5(b)(l)(2)(3) and (4). Reports issued by the Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Penal Code section 929 requires that reports of the Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Grand Jury. Evaluation of Department Directors Individual performance reviews are a crucial part of supervision. They serve as an opportunity to summarize ongoing performance and develop conversations for work. Additionally, they can provide a record of measurable performance objectives used for comparative review in the future. They are an opportunity to ensure that directors are aware of county goals and that supervisors are aware of current work within individual departments. Mariposa County is divided among eighteen ( 18) departments. Each department is led by a designated director. Reviews for department directors in Mariposa County are scheduled annually and occur in May or June of each fiscal year. These reviews are the only opportunity that the Board of Supervisors have to hear from directors, provide supervisorial feedback or ask questions of directors. While the work of some departments (Building, DPW, Planning) puts those department directors in front of the Board regularly (to address agenda items), there is no requirement for directors to attend meetings or address the Board outside of their annual review. It is possible that a full year may take place without report from a director to the Board of Supervisors. Reviews are closed session with only the supervisors, the department director and the Clerk of the Board attending (the Clerk of the Board is required by law to be present at all Supervisor meetings).