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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.

Del Norte County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Page 8 Del Norte County Grand Jury – 2018/2019 Remi Vista, Inc. Youth and Family Services Remi Vista recently opened an

Published: June 24, 2019 12 pages

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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 7 findings

Alder Conservation Camp provided a total of 11,416 hours of Grand Jury members were given a presentation on the history and community service during the fiscal year of 2016-2017. basic operations of the camp and then were provided with a tour of the facility by the Camp Commander, Assistant Camp Commander, Warden, F2: Alder camp provides a variety of training opportunities and building Associate Warden, and the Cal Fire Administration Captain. Additional skills that are necessary to transition to life after being paroled. details about operations were obtained from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website. Commendations: C1: The staff at the facility is to be commended for their dedication to Discussion: the training and rehabilitation of the inmates. The Grand Jury learned that the facility in most areas is self- contained to operate without outside assistance for up to 30 days and C2: The inmates of this facility are to be commended for their is jointly operated by Cal Fire and CDCR staff. There are 7 Cal-Fire full- community service hours and the beautiful woodworking and the toys time staff and 9 C.O.’s currently. There is also always at least 1 staff on that they were diligently working on during the Grand Jury’s visit that call. Alder Camp is one example of an alternative custody program that were going to be donated to local families for Christmas. allows currently housed state inmates to “serve up to the last 12 months of their sentence in the community in lieu of confinement in state prison.” These programs are voluntary and some of the criteria for being eligible to go to an ACP is that the person can’t have a history of arson, sexual violence, or escaping. The full capacity of this facility is 110 but at the time of our visit there were eighty-seven inmates being housed. The average length of stay for the inmates used to be several years when it was first operating but in recent years has gone down to around 8-10 months. When inmates go out to fight fires they are compensated at $1 an hour, but the staff mentioned that may soon go up to $2 an hour. Inmates also participate in other community service projects that include “fire fuel reduction, invasive species abatement, water erosion control, trail construction and maintenance.” Del Norte County Grand Jury – 2018/2019 Del Norte County Juvenile Detention Facility Report During our tour we were told that the facility has been dealing 2018/2019 Del Norte County Grand Jury with a broken grease trap that keeps putting two kitchen sinks out Del Norte County Juvenile Detention Facility Report of commission. The maintenance log confirms that this has been a continuing problem for the last year. We also discovered that the exterior SUMMARY of the facility is showing signs of wear and tear and mold growth. Currently, the state staff to juvenile ratio is 2 officers per 10 and the On October 27, 2018, the Grand Jury visited and toured the Del facility here usually has 3 or 4 officers during day. Additionally, the state Norte Juvenile Detention Facility in Crescent City with the facility minimum for night-time is 1 officer per 30 and this facility usually has administrator. We learned about the capacity of the facility, how the 2 officers during the night. In Del Norte, the main alternative to being facility operates, what services and programs are offered to the youth detained in the Juvenile Facility is to be put under house arrest or going who are there, and that the facility has been experiencing some ongoing straight to probation. consistent maintenance problems in the kitchen. All the meals provided are cooked on site by 2 full-time cooks. Residents BACKGROUND are provided with 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. Currently, the facility has a culinary and vocational construction program for juveniles who The Juvenile Detention Facility is under the jurisdiction of the County wish to participate. They also provide Moral Reconation Therapy and Probation Department. The current facility opened in 2001 after Del have begun a gardening program that includes a green-house and several Norte County was able to obtain a 4.7 million dollar grant to help with planters. the construction of a new building. Because the previous facility built in 1958 was smaller, the county would often have to send more serious FINDINGS offenders out of the county to be housed.

Maintenance over the last year in the kitchen has not proven gave us a tour of the whole facility. We inspected the housing units, the effective in solving the problem of the malfunctioning grease trap. kitchen, the recreation area, the outdoor facilities, the gym, and saw the juvenile residents through their classroom windows. The Grand Jury also

There was a state audit of the 41st DAA and their interface with the Parks District financial supports by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Audit Office. This became apparent during the follow-up investigation of this continuity committee. The Audit can be reviewed on the dnfair.org website.

It is the conclusion of the Continuity committee that the current efforts of the Park District are with good intentions and in good standing with their ability to respond to the needs of the 41st DAA to keep our state fair operational and accountable to and for the citizens of Del Norte County, California.

It was the belief of this Continuity Committee that the fiscal staff of the Park District are still in need of training and supervision as it relates to adherence to accounting internal controls and practices.

Compliance with FAA regulations would remove the risk of losing 2. Interviewed airport staff needed federal funding for Border Coast Regional Airport Authority. 3. Interviewed airplane owners 4. Reviewed FAA regulations as they pertain to hangar usage

There are hangars leased that are being used in a manner contrary to 5. Reviewed BCRAA Hangar lease agreement (last edited 01/04/2017, FAA regulations. verified 04/24/2018)

Recommendations 6

R1

Grand jury recommends that the Probation Department clean the exterior of the facility and provide it with a new paint job within the
R2

Grand jury recommends that the Probation Department resolve maximum population of 44 but is currently only housing 9 residents. within the next calendar year, the ongoing issue of the grease trap in the This constitutes a use of 20% of the facility’s capacity. We learned that kitchen not functioning properly. the population of juvenile hall facilities are declining all over the state as efforts to promote alternatives to incarceration are being promoted. There are three different pods that they call Pod A, Pod B, and Pod C. Pod A houses the general population, while Pod B is for juveniles that need higher security either because of exhibiting violence or are on suicide watch. Pod C is rarely used currently but has been used in the past for juveniles with drug problems. The average length of stay is around 60 days and the typical longest length of stay is 180 days. For education, there is 1 full-time teacher that works on site and holds class from 7:30am-1:30pm. Also, the facility has an on-site medical room where a doctor comes once a week and a nurse who comes 3x a day to do check-ups. There is also a mental health practitioner who comes for 2 hours every day to do check-ins with juveniles who request or require it. Del Norte County Grand Jury – 2018/2019 DEL NORTE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, RECREATION, and PARKS SPECIAL DISTRICT collected sales tax revenue to assist in the future financial sustainability THE 2018-2019 COUNTY OF DEL NORTE GRAND JURY of the Fairgrounds and County Fair. CONTINUITY REPORT ON THE 2017-2018 RESPONSE OF THE DEL NORTE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS RECREATION AND PARKS DISTRICT There are policies, procedures and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated September 26, 2016 that inform the public of the Park It is with great pleasure and effort we bring this continuity report to the District’s ability to respond to supports and services needed by the citizenry of Del Norte County, California. It is our hope and desire that 41st DAA to keep the Fairgrounds and County Fair functional and future grand juries will include a continuity committee in its formation accountable.. of committees so the citizenry of Del Norte can be informed of the accountability of the agencies addressed, for that given year.
R3

The posting of the Parks District Board meetings and Financials on the dnfair.org website are not the responsibility of the 41st DAA, therefore another means of sharing their data needs to be determined.
R4

Parks District should hire new staff and train current staff about the requisite experience and knowledge in and about financials, banking and accounting needed to be able to prevent errors, embezzlement, fraud and so they can communicate with transparency. This should decrease its vulnerability to fraud, embezzlement and false accusations. Del Norte County Grand Jury – 2018/2019 Remi Vista, Inc. Youth and Family Services Remi Vista recently opened an additional office in Crescent City 2018/2019 Del Norte County Grand Jury Report to handle an increasing case load and provide additional space for Remi Vista, Inc. Youth and Family Services counselling and therapeutic activities. The addition has allowed the staff to deal with a steady increase in clients and services the organization
R5

Institute routine foreign object debris (FOD) inspection and remove debris BCRAA owns eight (8) of the twenty-seven (27) hangars that are leased out. The other nineteen (19) hangars are privately owned on land Lease agreement for aircraft hangar use, Del Norte County leased from the BCRAA. Rent for aviation use is $0.10 per square foot Regional Airport, Jack McNamara Field for privately owner hangers and $0.20 per square foot for hangars Lease, section 3. owned by Border Coast Regional Airport Authority. Fair market rent Use of premises. Lessee must use the Premises solely for maintaining a for non-aviation use of hangers $0.30 to $0.50 per square foot. The hanger for non-commercial purposes. The hanger so maintained must penalty for violation of use regulations is possible revocation of grant be used for the storage of airworthy aircraft, as defined below. Lessee funding. The primary purpose of an airport is aviation commercial and further agrees that any activity, including but not limited to repair and private. Non-aviation use is permissible if certain conditions are met maintenance of aircraft in the storage area, that violates Fire Codes, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA hereafter) approval is given causes structural or other damage to Airport property including surfaces, via a written agreement. There are currently no agreements with the or detracts from a clean and orderly appearance of the Airport or FAA for non-aviation use of hangars at Jack McNamara field. Renting a storage space is prohibited. Lessee must limit all repairs, maintenance, hangar for non-aviation use is permissible with FAA approval (FAA rule installation or other service performed on the aircraft to those types 14 CFR Chapter 1). The grand jury interviewed multiple aircraft owners Del Norte County Grand Jury – 2018/2019 Border Coast Regional Airport Authority; Jack McNamara Field of activities permitted by the FAA. In the hanger Lessee must store and keep airworthy aircraft (those that have a current annual inspection certificate or deemed airworthy by the Aviation/Transportation Administrator) of aircraft undergoing repair of construction, (as determined by the Airport Director in his or her sole discretion) owned or leased by Lessee, and their associated parts. Lease Section 26, subsection D: Lessee’s use of the Premises must at all times fully comply with this lease, all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and all signs and lawful instructions of Airport staff. FAA, Policy on the Non-Aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 15, 2016 / Rules and Regulations pages 38906 - 38911 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Chapter I [Docket No. FAA 2014–0463] Policy on the Non-Aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Notice of final policy. SUMMARY: This action clarifies the FAA’s policy regarding storage of non-aeronautical items in airport facilities designated for aeronautical use. Under Federal law, airport operators that have accepted federal grants and/or those that have obligations contained in property deeds for property transferred under various Federal laws such as the Surplus Property Act generally may use airport property only for aviation related purposes unless otherwise approved by the FAA. In some cases, airports have allowed non-aeronautical storage or uses in some hangars intended for aeronautical use, which the FAA has found to interfere with or entirely displace aeronautical use of the hangar. At the same time, the FAA recognizes that storage of some items in a hangar that is otherwise used for aircraft storage will have no effect on the aeronautical utility of the hangar. This action also amends the definition of aeronautical use to include construction of amateur-built aircraft and provides additional guidance on permissible non-aeronautical use of a hangar.’’ DATES: The policy described herein is effective July 1, 2017.
R7

The Local Board should provide more detailed accounting of District would be funded through a 0.25% sales tax which was approved income, expenditures, and transfers to provide greater transparency and by voters in 2014. This revenue tax started April 1, 2015 and will be in accountability to the public. effect for seven (7) years and include a set-aside reserve fund of 30% of Del Norte County Grand Jury – 2018/2019 DEL NORTE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, RECREATION, and PARKS SPECIAL DISTRICT District response: Recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented as follows: As stated in Response to R2, the District has created and will maintain a Financial Records Book containing financial information of the District, including the budget, record of transfers and payments, and other financial records, which will be made available to the public at the Fair office. Continuity response: When asked why there was not a heading in the Park District FAPP for withdrawals the response was that there are not any withdrawals being made and any withdrawal is for the purposes of making change (bills and coins) for various venues and shows. The Park District needs to establish a policy for specific requests from the 41st DAA to be used in operations of the fair.