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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.

Plumas County Grand Jury • 2009-2010

Elections Department Review of Procedures Election Scanning Department Report Report of inspection of ballot scanning*

Published: August 17, 2010 73 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.

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F12

Findings 12 findings

For the 2008-2009 year, the Airport Department operated with a budget that ended with $5,391 in the black. At midyear this year, the airport budget is in the black by $7,783.19. We commend the Airport Department for maintaining a budget that allows our airfield to able to provide their services while not being any sort of financial burden on the people who live and pay taxes in our county.

An inspection at our three airfields during January 2010 by Exxon Mobil Aviation examined the general facilities, personal and flight line safety, records and receipts, fuel documentation, and filtration. One hundred and twelve quality control checks were performed in this inspection without any "discrepancy description or

During the summer of 2009, the Department of Transportation (DOT) made an inspection of the runways and surrounding airspace path of any aircraft at each of our airports. Critical issues were addressed in a timely manner. With the agreement of the DOT, items that were identified as not being critical safety issues will be corrected when funding from DOT becomes available.

Because of the unique geography in Plumas County, regional economic centers exist: Almanor Basin, Blairsden-Graeagle, Eastern Plumas, Greenville, and Quincy. Each center has its own distinctive qualities and economies but all fall under the jurisdiction of the county.

The Board of Supervisors has hired consultants and the General Plan update is moving toward completion in 2011. Yet Plumas County has not contracted with the current General Plan consultants to include the optional Economic Development Element.

The City of Portola has an Economic Development Element in its General Plan, and the city documents the status of each implementation measure. However, there are measures listed for which no progress is shown.

The Grand Jury saw little evidence in our investigation that Plumas County and the City of Portola have made an effort to collaborate on economic development.

As defined by the Government Code, "Sphere of Influence" is a plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local agency. The City of Portola is in the process of updating and redefining its Sphere of Influence and needs cooperation and support from the county to get this done.

All websites associated with the above agencies

F10

May 1 Power-Point Presentation made to Plumas County firefighters by Ray Zachau, Division Chief, Fire Marshal, South Lake Tahoe Fire Department: The 2007 Angora Fire & What Went Wrong Documents reviewed by the committee: California Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Response Agreement, March 28, 2008 • Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement / Operating Plan (Between US Forest Service and ... CAL FIRE) May 15, 2009

F11

Prattville-Almanor FPD

F13

Sierra Valley FPD It is generally understood that there are two critically important elements to successfully protect structures from being destroyed by fire. The first is proximity to and services received from fire protection service providers. The hallmark descriptor is universally understood to be response time, or how long will it take emergency fire protection staff and equipment to arrive at an incident. The second essential necessity in the saving of persons' property from structural fire is an immediately available emergency water supply. Current structural fire fighting vehicles here in Plumas County pump water at a rate of 1,000 gallons per minute and require sustained water flows approximating one hour to save a typical residential structure; that would amount to a sustained water supply of 60,000 gallons per pumper truck. There was consensus among fire experts providing testimony that Plumas County could support one to five fire emergency services districts. Those fire and emergency service providers are needed to protect all parcels and structures within the County. Clearly, increasing the number of districts is not what the experts have recommended, nor would it be cost effective. Plumas County Fire Safe Council Individual wildland fires cause the most property destruction of all categories of fire emergencies. All Californians, as well as Plumas County residents, will not soon forget the Oakland Hills Inferno, the Malibu Canyons wildfires, or the very recent Angora Fire located in the South Lake Tahoe Basin that destroyed 309 residential and business structures. Etched in everyone's memories are those vivid televised images of block after block of destroyed buildings. Wildland fires occur in what has been termed a community-at-risk (CAR). All Plumas County communities are communities-at-risk. Typically homeowners prize these zones as they represent the aesthetically attractive midpoint between the edge of suburbia and most typically beautiful forested areas. Hilly terrain offering premium vistas are frequently a distinct asset of a community-at-risk. Unfortunately, extreme fire hazards are commonly ignored by individuals purchasing property in these zones. Here in Plumas County one voluntary organization, the Fire Safe Council, has made tremendous strides by developing a model that mitigates the wildland fire danger inherent to all community-at-risk zones. The Grand Jury found that the use and enforcement of fire codes and standards varies depending on whether they are being applied to a structure (homes, outbuildings, and commercial buildings), to the area immediately surrounding a structure (defensible space, access roads, turnarounds, fuel tanks and emergency water for fighting fires) or to the nearby wildlands (national and private forests as well as grasslands). In Plumas County, responsibility for prevention and hazardous mitigation of fire conditions in forests next to family residences belongs to the US Forest Service, if the forest is a national forest. If the forest is privately owned, it is the responsibility of the landowner with the possibility of additional assistance from a private, nongovernmental organization, the Plumas County Fire Safe Council. Thousands of Plumas County residents' homes are located in or next to forests, in what has been termed communities-at-risk. The overriding concern facing homeowners located in this environment is the threat of wildland fire. While the State of California has enacted legislation extending the defensible space perimeter requirement around homes from 30 to 100 feet, wildland fires represent an even greater threat than ever before to homeowners in forested areas. This is because most forests have not benefited from naturally occurring, periodic forest fires that consumed naturally occurring fuels. This hazardous situation has been compounded as the number of homes being built in the forest interface has rapidly increased during the last 10 to 15 years. During the past several years the Plumas County Fire Safe Council (PCFSC) has developed grant funded projects that have served groups of homeowners, homeowners associations, and other groups in mitigating or reducing the quantity of wildland fire fuels on our forest floors. These projects thin forested areas, remove fire ladder vegetation that frequently leads to devastating crown fires in addition to removing combustible materials that result in healthier, safer and more attractive forested areas. In summary, these projects provide a responsible alternative to periodic wildfires. The Mission Statement of the PCFSC is: To reduce the loss of natural and manmade resources caused by wildfire through Firewise community programs and pre-fire activities. The Council maintains an informative webpage: Fire Services - CAL FIRE In round figures, two-thirds of the Plumas County land surface is part of the Plumas and Lassen National Forest. and Lassen Volcanic National Park; the remaining one-third is comprised of privately owned parcels of which a substantial majority are located in what California has designated as this county's State Responsibility Area (SRA). Exceptions to this classification are parcels within Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) that include the lands within the City Limits of Portola, a relatively large area surrounding Chester, two small areas of several blocks each located in Quincy, and small areas near the fire houses in Graeagle, Whitehawk, Beckwourth, and Chilcoot. Plumas County's SRA includes numerous approved subdivisions as well as privately owned forest production and agricultural parcels. The SRA and LRA designations were actually made by CAL FIRE on behalf of the State a number of years ago and every five years that agency is required to revisit and evaluate those classifications. Currently that every five-year evaluation is being implemented in this county. CAL FIRE is also fiscally responsible for protection from and prevention of wildland fires including forested and agricultural lands as well as structures. Superficially it would appear to be a "good thing" that a majority of Plumas County residents' homes are located in designated SRA's. Statewide CAL FIRE has an outstanding reputation for its emergency fire protection services. CAL FIRE's presence in Plumas County is extremely limited. CAL FIRE does not employ any emergency responders, nor does it house any firefighting equipment within our county. The situation occurred almost 20 years ago in 1991 with the adoption of a "Cooperative Fire Management Agreement" (CFMA) between the US Forest Service and CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE traded off its Plumas County acreage emergency services responsibilities to the US Forest Service in exchange for acreage located somewhere else. The missions of the Federal and State agencies are quite different. The US Forest Service attempts to protect the national forests, while CAL FIRE protects forests and also provides structural fire protection in locales where it has an active presence. CAL FIRE does maintain a small administrative presence in Quincy; however, the reality of having a SRA designation is essentially meaningless for our county residents. In designated SRA's, CAL FIRE has the fiscal responsibility for provision of the following services:

Recommendations 17

R1

The Board of Supervisors should continue to fund our airports as they have done in the past. Any operating surplus remaining in the budget should be reinvested in the airports for future growth and improvements.
R2

The Grand Jury recommends the airports continue to adhere to their high standards of safety, service, and quality. We commend all three managers for their fine work, both in their offices and on the grounds throughout our airport facilities. This award would not have been given without the dedication of airport staff trained in the many procedures ensuring the safety of fuels and the flight line.
R3

The Grand Jury encourages the Airport Department to continue their compliance with DOT standards. Background Information: Plumas County owns and operates three airports within the county. Rogers Field in Chester, Nervino Airport in Beckwourth, and Gansner Field in Quincy. All three airports handle the typical traffic of private planes, with Rogers Field and Nervino Airport able to land jet aircraft. Airport traffic operates without control towers, but by the use of each pilot's own visual discretion and radio transmissions concerning their intent of takeoff or landing. Runway lights are controlled by radio transmission from the pilot. Fueling is self service, using a card lock system. Hangar and tie down facilities are available at all three airports. Each hangar owner pays their own utilities and is responsible for any upkeep needed on their hangar. Rent is paid to the county for all hangars at a rate of 41 cents per square foot. Property tax and luxury tax is paid to the county each year at a rate of 1%. Charter and sightseeing flights and flight instruction is available at each airport. A light industrial aircraft repair business is operated at Nervino Airport. Rogers Field in Chester has a large building that houses the Chester Fire Department as well as the Chester Public Utilities District. Director of Facility Services The county's Director of Facilities Services also supervises the Airport Department. Seventeen percent of the Director of Facility Services' duties are devoted and budgeted for Airport operations. While supervising the two contract managers who oversee Rogers Field and Nervino Airport, he serves as manager for Gansner Field. Salary and benefits for the Director in his service to the airports is $21,001. Contract Managers Rogers Field and Nervino Airport are supervised by contract managers. These managers also have their own private air service business housed at their airports. Salary and benefits are $18,106. Each manager receives a benefit package and a PERS retirement. Additional income for the Chester manager comes through collecting one half of the profits from fuel sales and all of the tie down fees. Managers are not exempt from paying rent on their hangars or any other fees paid by other pilots. Managers can utilize non-county employees they have hired and trained for airport duties at their own expense. Duties of managers are (some duties may be particular to a given airport and not another): Maintain safe, obstruction-free airport grounds Perform fuel testing Snow removal (estimated time is two hours for every inch of snow) Refueling air attack aircraft
R3a

The Division should establish a brief but detailed set of instructions for inspectors to apply uniformly for correction of infractions.
R3b

The Division should establish a standard pattern of rotation for inspectors in such a manner that the same inspector does not conduct more than one of the two inspections of a facility in the same calendar year.
R3c

The Division should establish a standard schedule of fines or sanctions for reoccurring violations of a consistent nature.
R3d

The Division should establish a fee for owner/operator requested re-inspections for those owners who want to improve their previous inspection grade.
R4

Any updated economic development plan completed by the county should take into account the differences between our economic centers and provide specific objectives to assist them in developing and growing their economies.
R5

Plumas County should ensure that economic development is an essential component of the General Plan update. This critical element must be a high priority. City of Portola
R6

The City should set priorities and employ an economic development professional to recommend implementation strategies. Plumas County and City of Portola--Collaboration
R7

The timing is right for the county to make sure the Economic Development Element of its General Plan is compatible with the city's updated element. The city and the county should collaborate to develop compatible economic development plans and provide countywide leadership to attract new businesses and industry. Both should consider sharing the cost of an economic development professional for mutually beneficial projects.
R8

The Grand Jury feels that much can be gained by the two governments working together on the city's Sphere of Influence. Plumas County and the City of Portola must come together to agree upon an updated Sphere of Influence for the city. Advance sales tax and hotel tax sharing agreements between the two governments should be considered to facilitate moving forward on development projects which could help our economy grow. Background Information: In researching economic development in Plumas County, the Grand Jury determined that all of the following governments and agencies are involved in promoting the economy and use some local public funds to accomplish their programs: Chambers of Commerce: Chester/Lake Almanor, Eastern Plumas, Indian Valley and
R01-02

Agriculture Commissioner Χ Airport Operations
R02-03

01-02 Х Fair Farm Advisor Х Feather River College Fire Management Х Health Dept./Environmental Health Х (Plumas Co Public Health Agency) Χ Hospital Districts
R95-96

98-99 Auditor/Controller
R98-99

Х District Attorney Facility Services
R99-00

Human Resources Х investigation

* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.