Riverside County Grand Jury

1998-1999

5 reports

Findings & Recommendations 9 findings
F1: The City of Perris has experienced an unusually high turnover of city managers. Over the last ten years, there have been nine city managers. The present city manager is serving on a part time basis.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1: Stabilize the position of city manager with an experienced, permanent, full time administrator.
F2: The City of Perris does not have an assistant city manager or an administrative services director.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2: Hire a qualified administrative services director who can also serve as assistant city manager.
F3: The finance director is an interim part time contract employee who oversees the financial manager and six clerks.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3: Employ a full time, permanent financial director. 4.Establish a finance committee with written guidelines to conduct in-depth reviews of the city's financial transactions and budgeting processes to provide a clear financial picture for the city council's action.
F4: The city council has no finance committee to review the city's financial transactions and to make recommendations to the council.
F5: No independent city planning commission exists to consider public input, review and provide guidance, to the city council on residential and industrial development. The city council, acting as a planning commission, does not allow for an impartial appeal process.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5: Reinstate the independent planning commission appointed from the local population to solicit public input and advise the city council on future development. This will also provide for an equitable appeal process. 6.Implement a policy directing that all requests for city attorney services or opinions be channeled through the office of the city manager.
F6: The City of Perris does not have a policy outlining the use of the city attorney. Unnecessary costs are being incurred when the city attorney is consulted about matters that would be more appropriately answered by other established sources.
F7: Members of the city council bypass the chain of management. This interferes with the duties of city employees and impedes the efficient operation of the city. This also negatively impacts employee morale. 8.At council meetings, members of the public have voiced their concerns over the debatable financial activities of some council members.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7: Ensure that all administrative/operational requests by city council members are properly routed through the city manager.
F9: Comments by councilpersons during public council meetings demonstrate a lack of civility toward other council members and the city administration.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9: Conduct themselves at council meetings with proper decorum and refrain from demeaning personal comments.
F10: The council study sessions are scheduled immediately before the regular city council meetings. This does not always allow adequate time to review the matters under discussion and obtain answers to questions that may arise. 11.A technical advisory committee consisting of county and city administrators has been formed to advise the City of Perris on possible solutions to financial and administrative problems.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10: Schedule the study sessions sufficiently in advance of the city council meetings so that all members have time to study agenda items and receive answers to questions they may have.
Additional Recommendations 2

Not linked to specific findings.

R8: Assure that all financial activities conform with accepted ethical principles and are able to withstand public scrutiny.
R11: Consider, utilize and support the advice and recommendations of the technical advisory committee.
Findings & Recommendations 3 findings
F1: The workload for the University of California Cooperative Extension programs has increased in recent years. At the same time, there has been an overall decline in the budget since 1990 by the County of Riverside for its share of the funding partnership of Cooperative Extension programs. The following table reflects the decline in county support since 1989. 1989-90 386,000 1990-91 395,000 1991-92 358,000 1992-93 323,000 1993-94 288,000 1994-95 290,000 1995-96 289,000 1996-97 282,000 1997-98 290,000 1998-99 288,000
F2: The partners in Cooperative Extension funding, county, university and federal government, rely on each other for the organization to function at full potential. In recent years, limited funds have made this nonmandated programming extremely difficult to maintain. Funding does not reflect any consideration for the Consumer Price Index or salary upgrades. 3.At the Blythe facility, Cooperative Extension is currently sharing space in the Agricultural Commissioner's office in the County Administrative Center. Due to the shortage of staff, it is only manned part time. 4.Custodial service reduced to once per week in all three offices during the recession is inadequate for the present increased work load. 5.To augment the clerical staff, Master Gardeners and students, when available, supply volunteer support for some essential clerical functions. 6.The department is still understaffed by 2.5 personnel to cover the extensive county's heavy workload.
F7: Previous grand jury reports, to which the Board of Supervisors concurred, recommended the county honor its commitment to fund its appropriate share of the cost of operating the Cooperative Extension. To date, this has not been done.
Findings & Recommendations 3 findings
F1: The workload for the University of California Cooperative Extension programs has increased in recent years. At the same time, there has been an overall decline in the budget since 1990 by the County of Riverside for its share of the funding partnership of Cooperative Extension programs. The following table reflects the decline in county support since 1989. 1989-90 386,000 1990-91 395,000 1991-92 358,000 1992-93 323,000 1993-94 288,000 1994-95 290,000 1995-96 289,000 1996-97 282,000 1997-98 290,000 1998-99 288,000
F2: The partners in Cooperative Extension funding, county, university and federal government, rely on each other for the organization to function at full potential. In recent years, limited funds have made this nonmandated programming extremely difficult to maintain. Funding does not reflect any consideration for the Consumer Price Index or salary upgrades. 3.At the Blythe facility, Cooperative Extension is currently sharing space in the Agricultural Commissioner's office in the County Administrative Center. Due to the shortage of staff, it is only manned part time. 4.Custodial service reduced to once per week in all three offices during the recession is inadequate for the present increased work load. 5.To augment the clerical staff, Master Gardeners and students, when available, supply volunteer support for some essential clerical functions. 6.The department is still understaffed by 2.5 personnel to cover the extensive county's heavy workload.
F7: Previous grand jury reports, to which the Board of Supervisors concurred, recommended the county honor its commitment to fund its appropriate share of the cost of operating the Cooperative Extension. To date, this has not been done.
Findings & Recommendations 1 findings
F2: There are only three Youth Courts in the county.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2: Establish Youth Courts in as many areas as possible, and apply for grant money to promote the program.
Additional Recommendations 1

Not linked to specific findings.

R1: Conduct Youth Court in a regular courtroom.
Findings & Recommendations 1 findings
F2: There are only three Youth Courts in the county.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2: Establish Youth Courts in as many areas as possible, and apply for grant money to promote the program.
Additional Recommendations 1

Not linked to specific findings.

R1: Conduct Youth Court in a regular courtroom.

Additional documents

Documents found alongside this year's reports — not grand jury reports or responses.