El Dorado County Grand Jury
• 2025-2026
Case 26-04: Mosquito Fire Protection District(PDF, 756kb)
⚠️ 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 and Recommendations 9 findings
F1
The Mosquito Fire Protection District Board does not have a monthly spending plan.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a
The Grand Jury recommends that Mosquito Fire Protection District Board of Directors require the Fire Chief to prepare a monthly spending plan for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support regular fiscal monitoring and improved budget oversight by September 2026.
R1b
The Grand Jury recommends that the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board of Directors require the Fire Chief to prepare a monthly spending plan as a standard component of the District’s annual budget process.
F2
The Mosquito Fire Protection District Board has improperly relinquished its governance responsibility regarding district spending.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Grand Jury recommends that the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board follow its own Policy of overseeing the District’s fiscal well-being with a monthly review of actual spending compared to its monthly spending plan starting September 2026.
F3
Mosquito Fire Protection District Board Agendas and Board Member Packages have errors, are late, and are often incomplete.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Grand Jury recommends that all materials for the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board Member Package for each scheduled meeting be submitted to the Board Clerk at least 7 days before the regularly scheduled meeting to match the policy timeframe for agenda submission beginning with the September 2026 meeting.
F4
Mosquito Fire Protection District Board meetings suffer from a lack of meeting control and discipline.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The Grand Jury recommends that at the beginning of each calendar year the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board select a Board President by reaffirming the sitting Board President or electing a new one beginning January 2027.
F5
The Mosquito Fire Protection District Board President’s interactions with the Fire Chief go beyond the principles expressed in the Mosquito Fire Protection District Policy Manual.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The Grand Jury recommends that the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board and Fire Chief develop by January 2027 a communication plan that defines communication procedures to ensure all Directors are kept informed of all communications between the Board President and the Fire Chief.
F6
The Mosquito Fire Protection District Board President violates District Policy by talking with legal counsel without Board approval and without another Director present.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The Grand Jury recommends that the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board revise District Policy to specify the consequences against any Director who violates District Policy such as unauthorized contact with legal counsel, by September 2026.
F7
The effectiveness of the Mosquito Fire Protection District Board is impeded by actions that likely constitute violations of the Brown Act.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
The Grand Jury recommends that all Mosquito Fire Protection District Directors adhere to the requirements of the Brown Act immediately.
F8
Mosquito Fire Protection District Board members lack knowledge in the governance and operations of a Fire Protection District.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
The Grand Jury recommends that the Mosquito Fire Protection District work with the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and Local Agency Formation Commission to provide the means for practical, focused, hands-on business and governance training for every new Fire Protection District Director starting in January 2027.
F9
Due to the end of the FEMA grant and decline in other funding sources the Mosquito Fire Protection District is very likely to experience a large reduction in funding leading to a financial crisis.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
The Grand Jury recommends that the Mosquito Fire Protection District address the financial crisis with the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors with a funding plan in place by July 2027 prior to the expiration of the FEMA grant in December 2027.