2012-2013 Final Report State of California

Conclusions 9

• CL1
  APD's jail holding facility is well maintained and utilized.
• CL2
  The PCMJ is well managed and well maintained despite crowding challenges. 37 2012-2013 Placer County Grand Jury
• CL3
  A replacement facility is needed and a co-located facility appears to be the best option. However, that does not mean everything needs to be built at the same time or located in one building. A multi-building campus type arrangement built in phases is also an option. Replacement will involve a multi-year process to get through the planning, design and construction phases. There are sufficient funds currently available to begin the planning phase. The timing is right to prepare a plan and determine a suitable site so that, if need be, a site can be purchased while property values remain relatively low. The Tahoe Sheriff Substation can be designed and built separately from the AOC facility. The Sheriff Patrol units are not required to be housed in a Court facility. The Sheriff does provide court security. One or more bailiffs can provide court security. The Court can remain in occupancy at the existing Burton Creek building until funding is released by the state for a new Court facility or moved to a new co-located facility under a lease agreement.
• CL4
  The Newcastle Measure F, passed in 1997 by the voters of the NFPD, is not clearly written. Based on our review of the ballot language and a sampling of special taxes, the Grand Jury encountered contradictions, uncertainties and issues that Measure F does not address. As a result, we found a number of inconsistencies in taxes levied and differences in interpretation of the Measure. There is a degree of subjectivity in the interpretation of the Measure.
• CL5
  The NFPD has experienced a rapidly declining financial condition, which is based in part on increased operating costs, lower development fees (because of real estate development downturn) and lower Prop 13 taxes (because of declining real estate values). Also, much of the financial deterioration can be attributed to costs associated with the delay in dealing with Station 41's physical problems. This inaction, whether intentional or by misunderstanding, resulted in imprudent and reactive decision-making by the NFPD. Ultimately, NFPD did need to take action to increase its revenues, but did so in a way that alienated some of its constituents. There is a completely new Board which has to address some hard decisions going forward, particularly as it relates to a long-term solution to its fire station. It appears they are off to a good start.
• CL6
  On July 10, 2012, the Placer County Board of SupeNisors extended the Fair Association's contract through December 31, 2013, subject to the condition that the Fair Association acquire after-the-fact building permits for improvements constructed in 2006-2007. The Fair Association did not comply, the Board of SupeNisors took no action, and yet the Fair Association continues to manage and operate the Fairgrounds and All American Speedway. Also on this date, the Board of SupeNisors approved allocation of funds not to exceed $84,400 of taxpayer money for Phase II of the EIR. This was necessitated by decisions made by the Fair Association in 2006-2007. The Fair Association maintains that they have insufficient funds to comply with the conditions imposed. This investigation did not identify any independent audits of the Fair Association financials that would support this position. In response to a comment from the floor, at the April 9, 2013 Placer County Board of SupeNisors meeting, SupeNisor Jack Duran stated "No Winners Here-Just Degrees of Loss". This Grand Jury agrees that this is an accurate assessment of the situation, but it does not justify lack of action by the Board of SupeNisors.
• CL7
  Advances in technology have resolved most of the dispatch problems noted by previous Grand Juries. Consolidation remains an option due to the expense of maintaining a dispatch center. Individual fire districts can not afford and do not have their own dispatch centers and there are no indications that there is dissatisfaction with the current arrangement. The County Sheriff dispatch center and CALFire dispatch center in Grass Valley would certainly need to be maintained. The cities of Rocklin and Roseville dispatch centers function well, provide excellent service and as long as the cities have no problem funding the needs, the Grand Jury is satisfied with the status quo. There are concerns about the ability of the City of Lincoln to provide full time dispatch service.
• CL8
  Sierra College and the Rocklin Police Department should be commended for taking the initiative in providing for the safety of the college, staff and students.
• CL9
  In fiscal year 2011-12 County departments had 172 light duty vehicles that were driven fewer than 7,000 miles, suggesting that the County may have more vehicles than it needs to meet the transportation needs of employees. At a cost to the departments of about $9,000 per year for a mid-size vehicle, the County needs to ensure that it does not own or lease more vehicles than it needs. However, the County has not yet put in place a procedure for regularly evaluating the use of the County's light duty vehicles, although the Fleet Division believes this would be worthwhile.