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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.
Contra Costa County Grand Jury
• 2020-2021
Grand Jury Report Final Report 2020 - 2021 About the Cover:
⚠️ 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 17 findings
F1
Page 73
Board members are prohibited by WCWD Policies and Procedures from communicating directly with district staff other than the General Manager.
F2
Page 73
Therefore, a director cannot obtain non-publicly available information from district staff about district operations without the General Manager’s consent.
F3
Page 73
The General Manager determines the agenda for district board meetings in consultation with the Board president.
F4
Page 73
Alternatively, a Board member may place an item on the meeting agenda, but only with a Board majority vote.
F5
Page 73
The Board has given the General Manager the discretion to spend up to $50,000 (per vendor per fiscal year) of WCWD funds for district maintenance and operations without Board approval.
F6
Page 73
Board members can review the check register for the WCWD’s general fund, but the General Manager’s discretionary expenditures are not segregated or identified on the check register. 8The Government Code addresses when claims against employees brought by third parties are paid by the governmental entity. See, e.g., Gov. Code, §§ 995, 995.2 and 995.4 et seq. Contra Costa County 2020-2021 Grand Jury Report 2103 Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
F7
Page 74
In the Board’s 2020 investigation of two directors, the Board allocated a $1000 stipend to each to obtain legal advice. In the Board’s most recent investigation of the same directors, no stipends were paid.
F8
Page 74
The WCWD has no written policy on when or under what circumstances it will pay for a director’s legal expenses.
F9
Page 85
Decentralized IT structures increase vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Contra Costa County 2020-2021 Grand Jury Report 2104 Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
F10
Page 86
The County’s IT structure is decentralized.
F11
Page 86
Based on interviews, Contra Costa County is at a disadvantage to hire IT staff with cyber security expertise due to increased compensation and perks offered by some private enterprises.
F12
Page 102
Measure X funding has not been allocated for CCAS operations.
F13
The FCC reported 99.2% of Contra Costa County residents have access to internet broadband for greater use of tele-mental health services.
F14
BHS has not followed the directives of the California Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011 to develop telehealth services to better meet the needs of underserved populations in the community.
F15
The Congressional Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 expands Medicare services to allow tele-mental health services to be integrated with in-person sessions, and to be received by beneficiaries in their home without geographic limitations.
F16
BHS lacks an adequate electronic data system to evaluate the efficacy of outpatient mental health services provided. Contra Costa County 2020-2021 Civil Grand Jury Report 2102 Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
F17
BHS does not collect clinical data from network providers, which limits accountability for the outpatient mental health services provided to county residents.
Recommendations 11
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R1Page 26EBMUD Board of Directors should consider publishing a cyber policy acknowledging the cyberattack threat and informing the public of its programs to overcome and prevent attacks on the public water supply by December 31, 2020. RESPONDENT RESPONSE EBMUD Board of Directors The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future
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R2Page 26EBMUD Board of Directors should consider publishing its conformance with the American Water Infrastructure Act on its public webpage by December 31, 2020. RESPONDENT RESPONSE EBMUD Board of Directors The recommendation has been implemented
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R3Page 26EBMUD Board of Directors should consider applying for a grant to offset new technology costs and strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure under the Drinking Water Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Program by December 31, 2020. RESPONDENT RESPONSE EBMUD Board of Directors The recommendation has been implemented
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R4Page 26CCWD Board of Directors should consider publishing a cyber policy acknowledging the cyberattack threat and informing the public of its programs to overcome and prevent attacks on the public water supply by December 31, 2020. RESPONDENT RESPONSE CCWD Board of Directors The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future Contra Costa County 2020-2021 Civil Grand Jury Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury
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R5Page 27CCWD Board of Directors should consider applying for a grant to offset new technology costs and strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure under the Drinking Water Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Program by December 31, 2020. RESPONDENT RESPONSE CCWD Board of Directors The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future The Responses to the 2019-2020 Grand Jury reports are posted on the Contra Costa County Grand Jury Website in their entirety and can be viewed at: http://www.cc-courts.org/civil/grand-jury-reports.aspx Contra Costa County 2020-2021 Civil Grand Jury Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT 2003 Contra Costa BART Rider Concerns RECOMMENDATIONS:
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R6Page 37By December 31, 2020, the Board of Supervisors should consider establishing a requirement that a final After-Action Report and a fiscal impact report be completed no later than 60 days after a PSPS event. RESPONDENT RESPONSE Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable
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R7Page 37The Board of Supervisors should consider developing a plan to take advantage of funding available for PSPS events from various programs at State and Federal levels by December 31, 2020. RESPONDENT RESPONSE Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or is not reasonable
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R8Page 37By December 31, 2020, The Board of Supervisors should consider tracking and communicating to County departments the status of existing and pending legislation which may mitigate the effects of a PSPS event on the County and its residents. RESPONDENT RESPONSE Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future The Responses to the 2019-2020 Grand Jury reports are posted on the Contra Costa County Grand Jury Website in their entirety and can be viewed at: http://www.cc-courts.org/civil/grand-jury-reports.aspx Contra Costa County 2020-2021 Civil Grand Jury Grand Jury Reports are posted at http://www.cc-courts.org/grandjury CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT 2005 Juveniles in Detention RECOMMENDATIONS:
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R9Page 103The Grand Jury recommends that the following be implemented by June 2022: CCAS management and City Managers pursue customization of the Animal Services contracts to include basic service plus extended services for an additional fee.
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R10Page 103The Grand Jury recommends that the following be implemented by June 2022: AAS and CCAS explore sharing of resources for low-cost animal care clinics in the eastern part of the County.
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R11Page 103The Grand Jury recommends that the following be implemented by June 2022: The County Board of Supervisors request that CCAS apply for Measure X funding to lower the projected increased financial cost to CCAS-contracted cities and to support additional low-cost spay and neuter services.