Responses for “does Appearance Trump Substance”

The City of Watsonville appeal process is outlined and governed by three documents: the City Charter, the Municipal Code and the Rules and Procedure of the Personnel Commission. RESPONSE: Watsonville City Council: PARTIALLY AGREE In addition to the three documents, the appeal process is also governed by the Personnel Rules and Regulations of the City of Watsonville as adopted and amended through Resolution No. 44-07 (CM) of the Watsonville City Council and also by California Court decisions regarding due process. Government Code sections 3254(b) and 3254.5 were also taken into consideration as the employee involved is a firefighter.

At present there is no system in place to periodically correct and update RecoveryWave.com. It is not clear whether this responsibility lies with ADAC or with HSA. Also, there currently is no system interface between the RecoveryWave.com web site and a resource directory maintained by HSA. County Response: The County and the Commission disagree with the finding. As indicated above, after an extended vacancy in the position responsible for updating the Resource Directory, the County Alcohol and Drug Program has resumed periodic updates of the Resource Directory. Updates are shared with a member of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commissioner who has assumed the responsibility for updating the website content. Although it was the website creator’s intention that the website would replace the Resource Directory, the Resource Directory fills the need for a hard copy handout to professionals and members of the public.

Prior to the hearing on August 20, the city did provide dinner for persons involved in the hearing. An agenda was posted announcing the dinner. The commissioners attended, as did the city attorney and the department manager defending the disciplinary action. In fact, the manager greeted and admitted one of the commissioners into the room where the dinner took place. RESPONSE: Watsonville City Manager: AGREE There was an agenda posted announcing the dinner for the commissioners. Staff was in attendance at the dinner which was open to any one wishing to attend.

Those interviewed confirmed that the commissioner knew the department manager and that they did exchange salutations, but that nothing was said regarding the appeal. The hearing was not discussed during dinner. However, some of the commissioners also were concerned about the potential appearance of collusion. RESPONSE: Watsonville City Council: PARTIALLY AGREE Those in attendance confirm that nothing was said regarding the appeal\hearing at the dinner. However, it is not known whether or not some commissioners were concerned about the potential appearance of collusion as it was not expressed to staff, the City Attorney, or anyone else except apparently to the Grand Jury. Greeting and holding the door for someone is courteous and customary. For example, the attorney for the Department and the employee greeted each other in the hearing room.

The employee who requested the Commission hearing could have attended the dinner but would have been required to purchase his meal; however, he was not told he could attend. RESPONSE: Watsonville City Manager: PARTIALLY AGREE It is correct that the employee requesting the appeal hearing could have attended the dinner; however, he was not expressly invited. Nevertheless, it was posted on the agenda. This was a unique situation as usually Personnel Commission hearings to consider employee disciplinary appeals are closed to the public. However, in this case, the employee expressly requested that the hearing be open to the public. As a result, the dinner was made open as well to anyone wishing to attend. Staff present that evening were invited to eat after all commissioners had been served. Had the employee been present, he presumably could have eaten as well. Again, normally, this would have been a closed affair and only the Personnel Commission and staff to the commission (Recording Secretary and Counsel) would have been present.

Santa Cruz County provides critical financial support for Santa Cruz residents in treatment at Janus, Janus Perinatal (formerly Mondanaro-Baskin), New Life Center, Santa Cruz Residential Recovery, Sí Se Puede, and Tyler House. Because of the budget constraints, the County has shortened the length of stay it will support for an individual in residential treatment. With the closure of Paloma House and Las Hermanas, two populations often underserved have had resources disappear. At present there is no County support for residential treatment for serial inebriates. County Response: The County agrees with this finding 6 Santa Cruz County Response to 2009-2010 Final Grand Jury Report Primary Public Defender Contract Since the time the Grand Jury report was prepared, the County, in partnership with the City of Santa Cruz, Dominican and Sutter Hospitals, and the Central California Alliance for Health, has reinstated the Serial Inebriate Project, which provides residential treatment for serial inebriates.

Adolescents with addiction problems can be treated at Tyler House, often at no cost to their families. Importantly, the program is structured and of sufficient length to promote recovery. Students residing at Tyler House are able to continue their education at La Escuela Quetzal, a sober school adjacent to the house on the same property. Tyler House is not well-known and is underutilized. County Response: The County partially agrees with this finding. Tyler House is very well known to its primary referral sources (Probation, Children’s Mental Health, and the Alcohol and Drug Program) and is seeking to be better known by the general public. Although the occupancy rate at Tyler House is typically high, it dipped between January and June of 2010 due to clients with more difficult behavior problems being placed in the program who exited the program earlier than anticipated. Tyler House is working with the Probation Department to coordinate referrals of clients who are more appropriate for the program.

HSA has been handicapped by a lack of resources to promote broad awareness of RecoveryWave.com in the Santa Cruz county community, especially to those in critical and immediate need of support and information. County Response: The County agrees with this finding. The County supported the Commission’s early promotion efforts, including paying for the printing of 11”x14” color posters and 8”x11” color flyers in English and Spanish. Commissioners, HSA personnel and members of the recovery community helped distribute the promotional materials, and the Commission issued press releases regarding the website. However, in recent years resources have not been available to support these public awareness efforts. The English version of the site has received 16,220 page loads (hits) since the Commission began accumulating data on the site on February 15, 2009. The site’s average daily hit count has increased 17.5 percent, from 28.5 hits in 2009 to 33.5 hits through July 21, 2010. The Spanish language site draws significantly fewer visitors, with 3,405 total hits during the same time period.

Both HSA and ADAC have voiced their willingness to accept the recent work of this Grand Jury on the residential treatment facilities as a resource both for HSA and for addition to the RecoveryWave.com web site. County Response: The County agrees with this finding and thanks the Grand Jury for the thorough review of the website. The Commission is dedicated to maintaining an accurate, up-to-date, robust and informative website, consistent with the needs of the community and within budgetary constraints.

Due to the lack of funds, the project to convert inward-opening doors to outward- opening doors in detainee cells was terminated halfway through the project. Currently half of the doors on detainee rooms open inward, which limits space in an already small 11 Santa Cruz County Response to 2009-2010 Final Grand Jury Report Jail Inspection Reports area. In addition, detainees can barricade the doors from the inside, causing unsafe conditions for staff and the detainee. County Response: The County partially agrees. It is correct that the County has not converted all the doors in detainee cells. However, those rooms with inward opening doors are no longer used to house detainees so there are no safety issues.

Due to the lack of funds, the existing recreational space at the juvenile facility is limited to a small, cracked and uneven concrete quad area for all recreational activities. The backfield area is not fenced and does not have security cameras. County Response: The County agrees.