📋
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
• 2012-2013
City of Crescent City Administration, Public Works, and MOU with Del Norte County
⚠️ 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
F1
Page 11
The City of Crescent City has been plagued by short term City managers for many years. Many of the City employees commented on the number of City Managers they have seen during their terms of employment and have the expectation that City Managers spend a relatively short time working for Crescent City and move on.
F2
Page 11
City Administration has outgrown City Hall and a better work environment would benefit the employees as well as presenting a better impression of Crescent City to residents and visitors.
F3
Page 11
Many City Policies and Procedures are very out of date and in need of review and updating.
F4
Page 11
The financial drain of the Cultural Center on the City budget has been supported for too long and needs to be addressed.
F5
Page 11
Fred Endert Pool is a huge asset for the City and is essential for the health and recreation of many local residents, but the annual loss needs to be addressed.
F6
Page 15
It is commendable that the WWTP and Water System are so well run with a relatively small but cohesive team, however attention must be paid to ensure the safety of workers who are handling highly technical and heavy equipment and are expected to be available 24/7 for emergencies. These same workers have done jobs in house that would have cost considerably more if contracted out.
F7
Page 15
As members of the public, the City Committee members were amazed at the tour presentation, the intricacy of the WWTP and Water System operations and the expertise and dedication of the staff.
Recommendations 7
-
R1Page 11When future City Managers are hired the City Council should make a concerted effort to hire someone for a longer term to fill that position, and is encouraged to look for someone within Del Norte County who understands local needs and issues and has a history of service to this community.
-
R2Page 11Money spent to improve the entrance to City Hall is not money well spent; rather a search committee should be appointed to look at alternative locations for City Hall including the possibility of utilizing the Cultural Center to house City Hall and the Housing Authority.
-
R3Page 11City Policies and Procedures should be reviewed and signed off annually by the Departments in charge of implementing them, and recommendations for additions and changes should be made to the City Manager. 11
-
R4Page 12A committee of City Council members, City employees and interested citizens should be formed to study possible ways for the City to rid itself of the budget deficit from the Cultural Center and consider creative solutions for future use of the building. Some possibilities that should be examined are turning the Center into the location for City Hall and the Housing Authority, offering it as an art gallery and/or mixed use artists’ work and retail facility, offering reduced fees to non-profit organizations to perhaps increase use of the facility in the short term, using it as a youth center or community center in collaboration with other agencies and creating a destination conference facility.
-
R5Page 12There may be ways to reduce the Fred Endert Pool deficit. We recommend appointment of an ad hoc committee to study such things as the rate structure, fees paid by Physical Therapists to use the pool with their clients, the feasibility of opening the pool on Sunday and possible community partnerships that might help to subsidize operations.
-
R6Page 15Cost savings from Public Works teams taking the initiative to do some major jobs in house should be looked at as a possible means of rewarding those employees for performing above and beyond their basic job requirements. . When work is done in potentially dangerous situations, there should always be a minimum of two qualified employees present to perform tasks and provide back up.
-
R7Page 15The presentation and tour of the WWTP and Corporation Yard could be assets for the City in building relations with local residents and educating school 15 classes. Volunteer docent-led tours of both facilities should be developed and offered as a way of showing residents what their rates are supporting.