San Joaquin County 2009-2010 - California Grand Jury Reports

F1: The management team at the Shelter recognizes that there is a constant challenge in clear and constant communications with the staff of a 24-hour facility, but have implemented means to correct the dilemma. Communications are achieved daily through e-mail, weekly team meetings, the establishment of daily strategy meetings prior to the start of each shift and Nextel 2-way radio/phones.

F2: Morale is low among staff members and appears to be exceptionally low on the PM shift and the graveyard shift. Staff on graveyard shifts have additional duties of housekeeping due to budget cuts and reduction in personnel. Shelter Management has tried many approaches to raise morale including special staff lunches, dinners and other recognition. The Leadership Committee consisting of Shelter supervisors was established to help raise the overall morale of the staff. However, staff appears content and the Shelter has many long term employees.

Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)

R1: The Director and Assistant Director as well as the HSA Director develop a budget and a plan for awards and recognition of the staff to help build morale and leadership.

R2: The Director, Assistant Director, and the HSA Director continue to search for outside County support to assist in the funding of the Shelter to preserve quality staffing levels. The independent MGCF could be instrumental in this effort to build public awareness and support.

F3: The Director and Assistant Director are available to staff on a 24/7 basis and in their absence, by phone. Although the Director and Assistant Director are not present on every shift, their hours and shifts do rotate in an attempt to cover as many shifts and work with as many staff members as possible. The Director of HSA is aware of the communication deficiencies and morale at

F4: the Shelter, but relies on his Director and Assistant Director to correct matters related to their control.

Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)

R08: This includes the following two findings and two recommendations. 2008/09 Finding #4: "Chronic understaffing and the recent layoff of the Director of Information Technology" SCC response to Finding #4: "The respondent partially agrees with this finding. Staffing levels throughout the organization have been reduced in response to declining revenues, resulting in operational challenges. The Director of Information Technology was recently laid off to further reduce operating costs. Through reorganization, the Information Technology Department was combined with the Administrative Services Department and is under the leadership of the Administrative Services Director/Chief Financial Officer." 2008/09 Recommendation #4: "Chronic understaffing and lack of leadership should be promptly addressed" SCC response to Recommendation #4: "The recommendation has not yet been implemented. As a result of fiscal constraints, some unfunded positions have been eliminated and the filling of vacant funded positions has been judicious. All City departments are in the process of assembling a two-year staffing plan to be presented to the Council later in calendar year 2009. The two-year plan will make recommendations based on organizational priorities, staffing needs, and resource availability." 2008/09 Finding #5: "Lacks a documented disaster recovery or business continuity plan" SCC response to Finding #5: "The respondent disagrees with this finding. The Information Technology Division of the Department of Administrative Services continues to maintain comprehensive, documented disaster recovery plan and business continuity plans including: AS/400 (IT/iSeries) Disaster Recovery Plan • Disaster Recovery Plan Police Department Systems Overview and Back Up Strategy Details for Information Technology (IT) • Graphical Information Systems (GIS) Disaster Recovery Plan Disaster Recovery Procedures for Servers and Network Devices Standard Operating Procedures for Fire Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Records Management Systems (RMS) The Disaster Recovery documents are on file in the Information Technology Division. The City has the documents in place and is continuing to work to improve them." 2008/09 Recommendation #5: "Prepare a comprehensive and documented disaster recovery and business continuity plan" SCC response to Recommendation #5: "Recommendation has been implemented. The comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans were listed in

F5: The Shelter Manual and Employee Handbook were revised in September of 2008 and are living documents which receive constant updates and changes.

Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)

R08: This includes the following two findings and two recommendations. 2008/09 Finding #4: "Chronic understaffing and the recent layoff of the Director of Information Technology" SCC response to Finding #4: "The respondent partially agrees with this finding. Staffing levels throughout the organization have been reduced in response to declining revenues, resulting in operational challenges. The Director of Information Technology was recently laid off to further reduce operating costs. Through reorganization, the Information Technology Department was combined with the Administrative Services Department and is under the leadership of the Administrative Services Director/Chief Financial Officer." 2008/09 Recommendation #4: "Chronic understaffing and lack of leadership should be promptly addressed" SCC response to Recommendation #4: "The recommendation has not yet been implemented. As a result of fiscal constraints, some unfunded positions have been eliminated and the filling of vacant funded positions has been judicious. All City departments are in the process of assembling a two-year staffing plan to be presented to the Council later in calendar year 2009. The two-year plan will make recommendations based on organizational priorities, staffing needs, and resource availability." 2008/09 Finding #5: "Lacks a documented disaster recovery or business continuity plan" SCC response to Finding #5: "The respondent disagrees with this finding. The Information Technology Division of the Department of Administrative Services continues to maintain comprehensive, documented disaster recovery plan and business continuity plans including: AS/400 (IT/iSeries) Disaster Recovery Plan • Disaster Recovery Plan Police Department Systems Overview and Back Up Strategy Details for Information Technology (IT) • Graphical Information Systems (GIS) Disaster Recovery Plan Disaster Recovery Procedures for Servers and Network Devices Standard Operating Procedures for Fire Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Records Management Systems (RMS) The Disaster Recovery documents are on file in the Information Technology Division. The City has the documents in place and is continuing to work to improve them." 2008/09 Recommendation #5: "Prepare a comprehensive and documented disaster recovery and business continuity plan" SCC response to Recommendation #5: "Recommendation has been implemented. The comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans were listed in

F6: The complaint of increasing full time staff during low census in the Shelter was unfounded. San Joaquin County has imposed a hiring freeze for the past two years. When the number of children residing in the Shelter is down, part time employees' hours are cut to reduce salary costs.

F7: Annual audits and reports to the State Comptroller and County Auditor are done appropriately. These were conducted by an independent CPA/Auditor.

F8: This has solved the problems inherent in the old system. The Commissioners decided in 2005 not to pursue recovery for the Great Plains software due to the high legal costs. It should be noted that numerous other HUD and HA agencies across the nation were similarly affected.

F9: It is apparent to this Grand Jury that there has been a resolution of the past software purchase issue. No malfeasance was discovered. The Commissioners were made aware of the situation and chose not to pursue recovery of funds already dispersed due to high legal costs involved.

F10: At the time of writing this report all board members reside in the district.

Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)

R3: The Board fill the position of Secretary to the Board. a. The Board should provide separate and secure office space in the fire station for the Secretary to the Board. b. The Secretary to the Board shall report only to the Board. c. To avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, the positions of Secretary to the Board and Fire Chief should not be held by the same individual.

F11: Although the District's legal firm represents other water districts no conflict of interest was found.

F12: Lodi: IT personnel in the Internal Services Department answer to the Assistant City Manager.

F13: Lathrop: Hardware redundancy has been corrected.

F14: Lathrop: IT has a comprehensive written Disaster Recovery Plan.

F15: Manteca: IT has a comprehensive written Disaster Recovery Plan.

F16: Manteca: IT department encrypted the hard drive on all laptops.

F17: Manteca: IT anticipates the completion of emergency power connection to the data center by July 1, 2010.

F18: Tracy: IT has a comprehensive security policy.

F19: Tracy: Provides a signature document ensuring all employees are informed of IT security policies and consequences of violation.

F20: Tracy: IT policies prohibit unrestricted access to the internet. Only incidental use during non-working hours is allowed.

F21: Ripon: All requirements were in place prior to issuance of the 2008/09 Grand Jury Report except the written employee notification of the ITS Policy. On October 30, 2009 they implemented the necessary notification.