Gran Jurado del Condado de Santa Cruz
2014-2015
From the annual report
The consolidated year-end volume. The individual investigations it contains are listed separately below.
📑 Year-End Report
The full consolidated volume; individual reports are listed below.
Individual reports (15)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
15 hallazgos
F1:
Both SCWD and SqCWD urgently need a supplemental water source.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (4)
R1:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department should secure a supplemental water supply. (F1, F2)
R2:
Soquel Creek Water District should secure a supplemental water supply. (F1, F2)
R5:
The City of Santa Cruz should strongly consider reviving the scwd2 desalination plan prior to the next available General Election. (F17)
R6:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District should continue to pursue a regional solution such as Desalination or Regional Water Transfers 20 with Recycling. (F713)
F2:
The longer SqCWD and SCWD wait to secure a viable alternative to the overdraft problem, the greater the danger of degradation and possible permanent loss of aquifers.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (4)
R1:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department should secure a supplemental water supply. (F1, F2)
R2:
Soquel Creek Water District should secure a supplemental water supply. (F1, F2)
R5:
The City of Santa Cruz should strongly consider reviving the scwd2 desalination plan prior to the next available General Election. (F17)
R6:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District should continue to pursue a regional solution such as Desalination or Regional Water Transfers 20 with Recycling. (F713)
F3:
The decision by the City of Santa Cruz to suspend participation in the scwd2 desalination project forced SqCWD to restart the planning process without a regional partner.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The City of Santa Cruz should strongly consider reviving the scwd2 desalination plan prior to the next available General Election. (F17)
F4:
The City of Santa Cruz did not adequately communicate the urgent need for a 19 supplemental water source to its ratepayers.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
The City of Santa Cruz should immediately convey to its citizens the urgency of the long term regional water situation. (F14)
F5:
The scwd2 desalination plant is the only available single alternative that can address in a timely manner all of the supplemental water needs of SCWD and SqCWD, while at the same time being immune to climate change.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The City of Santa Cruz should strongly consider reviving the scwd2 desalination plan prior to the next available General Election. (F17)
F6:
The draft EIR must be finalized before the environmental studies and alternative projects included in it can be implemented.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
The City of Santa Cruz should ensure that the scwd2 draft EIR be finalized by the end of calendar year 2014. (F57)
F7:
DeepWater and Districtonly desalination projects will face many obstacles, including completion of EIRs and securing local approval.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The City of Santa Cruz should strongly consider reviving the scwd2 desalination plan prior to the next available General Election. (F17)
F8:
The private company Central Coast Regional Water Project will have inordinate control over the water rates of the DeepWater Desalination project since it will control the intake pipe.
F9:
Agencies that wait to buy into the DeepWater plant may be excluded because the limited amount of water produced may already be allocated.
F10:
State water rights evaluations will delay the prospective start date of the Regional Water Transfer Project.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District should continue to pursue a regional solution such as Desalination or Regional Water Transfers 20 with Recycling. (F713)
F11:
Without modification, the SCWD Tait Street treatment facility is not large enough to accommodate the needs of the Regional Water Transfer Project.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District should continue to pursue a regional solution such as Desalination or Regional Water Transfers 20 with Recycling. (F713)
F12:
Officials in SCWD and SqCWD have not given sufficient consideration to a regional recycling plant.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District should continue to pursue a regional solution such as Desalination or Regional Water Transfers 20 with Recycling. (F713)
F13:
A water recycling facility would allow for injection wells to either help recharge the aquifer or to build a barrier against seawater intrusion.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District should continue to pursue a regional solution such as Desalination or Regional Water Transfers 20 with Recycling. (F713)
F14:
Because there is no detailed groundwater model of the Purisima basin, it is difficult to do the studies and research needed to protect the aquifer.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R7:
Members of the Basin Implementation Group should complete work on a groundwater model of the Purisima basin as soon as possible. (F14)
F15:
Private pumpers have unregulated access to water and do not contribute financially to aquifer protection efforts.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R8:
The Basin Implementation Group should establish a Replenishment District for the Purisima aquifer. (F15)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
7 hallazgos
F1:
Lack of Main Jail capacity for 647(f) violators often leads to release without booking, arraignment, adjudication into SIP, or admission into treatment.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)
R2:
The Sheriff should ensure that the Main Jail reserves 3 to 6 beds for the booking and assessment of SIPeligible 647(f) violators. (F1)
R5:
The Sheriff should explore jail space alternatives using Rountree beds or modular buildings either at the Main Jail or Rountree to satisfy the incustody requirements for inclusion in SIP. (F1, F2)
R6:
HSA should fund a fulltime SIP case manager. (F1, F3)
F2:
No Sobering Center is available to provide an alternative to the Main Jail for offenders.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The Sheriff should explore jail space alternatives using Rountree beds or modular buildings either at the Main Jail or Rountree to satisfy the incustody requirements for inclusion in SIP. (F1, F2)
F3:
The current halftime SIP case manager cannot initiate contact with those in custody in a timely manner.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
HSA should fund a fulltime SIP case manager. (F1, F3)
F4:
The present low rate that the county pays for treatment beds has caused delays in SIP clients being placed into recovery programs.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R7:
HSA should fund treatment beds at a more competitive rate. (F4)
F5:
There is insufficient funding for SLE programs for SIP clients.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R4:
The SIP Steering Committee should modify SIP to include mandatory SLE placement after treatment. (F5, F6)
R8:
HSA should fund more SLE space for SIP clients. (F5)
F6:
The current SIP 306090 day treatment schedule is not long enough to adequately treat alcoholism.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R3:
The SIP Steering Committee should modify SIP to extend treatment times. (F6)
R4:
The SIP Steering Committee should modify SIP to include mandatory SLE placement after treatment. (F5, F6)
F7:
All parties to the SIP agreement (Board of Supervisors, HSA, Sheriff’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, District Attorney's Office, Corrections Department, Capitola Police Department, Scotts Valley Police Department, Santa Cruz City Police Department) have not implemented any solutions to address the impact of jail overcrowding on SIP. 10
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
All parties to the SIP agreement should create a plan with measurable steps to ensure that SIP can function effectively by the end of 2014. (F7)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
6 hallazgos
F1:
The family style meal system is a major part of mentoring Juvenile Hall residents and is an important educational function.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R1:
The Sheriff’s Office Corrections Bureau should exclude the Juvenile Hall from its kitchen consolidation. (F1, F2, F4, F6)
R3:
Juvenile Hall administration should reinstate the KP duty schedule. (F1, F5) Commendation The Santa Cruz County Grand Jury would like to commend the Juvenile Hall administrators and staff (particularly the cooks) for their dedication to our County’s young people. The three main cooks have over 30 years experience in the kitchen, and the many anecdotes not mentioned in this investigative report make it clear that they do not take their jobs, or the lives of the residents, for granted. The comment by the staff person who said “Good food equals love, concern, and support” echoed the sentiments of all the Juvenile Hall staff with whom we spoke.
F2:
Freshly prepared, nutritious meals have been shown to decrease youth violence in schools, develop healthy bodies, and enhance academic achievement.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The Sheriff’s Office Corrections Bureau should exclude the Juvenile Hall from its kitchen consolidation. (F1, F2, F4, F6)
F3:
The Juvenile Hall kitchen is currently in need of maintenance as well as a preventative maintenance plan.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
Juvenile Hall administrators should work with General Services to respond to current 6 maintenance needs and develop a preventative maintenance plan. (F3)
F4:
The cost per food tray at Juvenile Hall is comparable to the cost at the three adult jails.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The Sheriff’s Office Corrections Bureau should exclude the Juvenile Hall from its kitchen consolidation. (F1, F2, F4, F6)
F5:
Juvenile Hall no longer uses residents in the kitchen for KP duty. This has resulted in an increased workload for the cooks and missed mentoring opportunities for the residents.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
Juvenile Hall administration should reinstate the KP duty schedule. (F1, F5) Commendation The Santa Cruz County Grand Jury would like to commend the Juvenile Hall administrators and staff (particularly the cooks) for their dedication to our County’s young people. The three main cooks have over 30 years experience in the kitchen, and the many anecdotes not mentioned in this investigative report make it clear that they do not take their jobs, or the lives of the residents, for granted. The comment by the staff person who said “Good food equals love, concern, and support” echoed the sentiments of all the Juvenile Hall staff with whom we spoke.
F6:
The Sheriff’s Office Kitchen Centralization Study revealed many logistical problems that require further research before implementation.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The Sheriff’s Office Corrections Bureau should exclude the Juvenile Hall from its kitchen consolidation. (F1, F2, F4, F6)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
9 hallazgos
F1:
Overcrowded conditions in Main Jail housing units make it difficult for COs to follow their policies and to monitor inmate safety.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The Sheriff’s Office should expand the Custody Alternatives Program (CAP) to relieve jail overcrowding. (F1)
F2:
Staff furloughs, mandatory overtime, and the impasse in CO labor contract negotiations have lowered CO morale.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R2:
The Board of Supervisors should eliminate furloughs and mandatory overtime for Corrections Officers in order to improve their morale. (F2)
R3:
The Board of Supervisors should negotiate a new contract with the Corrections Officers union by the end of 2014. (F2)
F3:
The lack of consistent enforcement of rules and regulations by COs at the Main Jail creates opportunities for inmates to hide prohibited materials.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
The Sheriff’s Office should ensure that Main Jail CO supervisors and their management consistently enforce inmate rules. (F3)
F4:
Medical staff members are vulnerable when COs do not remain in the medical clinic with inmates. 7
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The Sheriff’s Office should require a CO to remain in the Main Jail medical clinic while inmates are being treated unless the CO is released by the medical staff. (F4)
F5:
An air vent in the Main Jail medical clinic is excessively dirty and in need of immediate maintenance.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
The Sheriff’s Office should ensure that the air vent in the Main Jail medical clinic is cleaned and maintained. (F5)
F6:
Record keeping tasks and ongoing clerical work decrease CIT’s counseling time with inmates.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R7:
HSA should increase hours for the CIT supervisor at the Main Jail and increase clerical support for CIT staff. (F6)
F7:
Inmate safety has been at risk because CIT has not had a comprehensive protocol manual or individualized inmate treatment plans at the Main Jail.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R8:
CIT should complete a protocol manual and develop individualized treatment plans for inmates at the Main Jail. (F7)
F8:
There is no adequate process in place at the Main Jail to communicate jail rules to inmates and verify that they are aware of them.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R9:
The Sheriff’s Office should provide inmates with written jail rules at intake and document that inmates have received them. (F8)
F9:
Video surveillance is inadequate for the booking area and the medical clinic in the Main Jail.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R10:
The Sheriff’s Office should install video surveillance in the medical clinic and correct the obstructed video surveillance of the open seating booking area. (F9) 8
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
6 hallazgos
F1:
Counselors and psychiatrists are not readily available for existing and potential mental health clients.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
HSA should improve client access to mental health services by increasing available counseling hours for psychologists and psychiatrists at the Emeline facility. (F1)
F2:
The lack of implementation of electronic health records (EHR) hampers mental health service to clients.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R2:
HSA should use Electronic Health Records (EHR) for all mental and medical health services. (F2)
R3:
HSA should use EHR to perform quantitative evaluations of program effectiveness. (F2, F3)
F3:
Quantitative evaluation of the success of Prop 63 programs is extremely challenging without the implementation of an EHR.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
HSA should use EHR to perform quantitative evaluations of program effectiveness. (F2, F3)
F4:
The apparent lapses of direct communication between the Advisory Board, HSA, and the Board of Supervisors impedes the Advisory Board’s goals of effective advocacy for clients and advising HSA concerning Prop 63 funded mental health programs.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R4:
HSA should regularly attend the Mental Health Advisory Board meetings and should respond directly to the concerns raised. (F4)
R5:
The Mental Health Advisory Board should quickly and clearly communicate to HSA all issues that come before the Board. (F4)
F5:
The mandated stakeholder meetings are not successfully attracting participation by county residents.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
HSA should publicize mental health programs and promote them in a way that will educate and engage the larger community. (F5)
F6:
Five vacancies on the 11member Advisory Board left it ineffective for months during our investigation. 8
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R7:
The Board of Supervisors should fill all Advisory Board vacancies in a timely manner. (F6)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
9 hallazgos
F1:
By assigning responsibility for district investments to the District Manager, the SLVWD Board of Directors improperly relinquished one of its major responsibilities.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The SLVWD Board should reclaim its financial oversight responsibility by rescinding Resolution 79 (198788). (F1, F2)
F2:
SLVWD took no action to correct its imbalance of investment assets despite multiple years of external audit reports.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The SLVWD Board should reclaim its financial oversight responsibility by rescinding Resolution 79 (198788). (F1, F2)
F3:
Contrary to accepted practice, SLVWD was operating on a prior year’s budget eight months into its fiscal year.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
The Board should require that the District Manager provide a budget prior to the start of each fiscal year. (F3)
F4:
Despite numerous complaints from ratepayers, SLVWD has failed to prioritize the replacement of leaking redwood tanks.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
SLVWD should provide ratepayers with a specific plan and schedule for replacing its remaining redwood tanks. (F4) 11
F5:
For many years Board committees consisted of a quorum of Board members without being publicly announced as Board meetings.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The Board should publicly notice committee meetings as Board meetings when a quorum is present. (F5)
F6:
The Board has violated its policy to conduct annual reviews of the District Manager.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
The Board should create standard criteria and follow its own requirement for annual evaluation of the District Manager. (F6, F7)
F7:
The Board lacks consistent standards to evaluate the performance of the District Manager.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
The Board should create standard criteria and follow its own requirement for annual evaluation of the District Manager. (F6, F7)
F8:
SLVWD consistently fails to provide timely meeting minutes or post important information on the District’s website.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
SLVWD should post online all ordinances, resolutions, and minutes within a month of approval. It also should post online all current ordinances, resolutions referenced in current ordinances, and minutes for the last five years. (F8, F9)
F9:
SLVWD makes it difficult for ratepayers to obtain public records from the District Office by requiring prior approval from the District Manager.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
SLVWD should post online all ordinances, resolutions, and minutes within a month of approval. It also should post online all current ordinances, resolutions referenced in current ordinances, and minutes for the last five years. (F8, F9)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
5 hallazgos
F1:
The loopholes in Santa Cruz County procurement policies such as the Exceptions to the Competitive Process and Sole Source Requests in the PPM allow some professional service contracts to originate, or to be continually renewed, without competition.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)
R1:
The General Services Department should exclude expert and professional services 9 from the Exceptions to the Competitive Process clause of the PPM. (F1)
R2:
The policies and procedures manuals of the County Administrative Office should require an RFP process for the renewal of all multiyear professional service contracts. (F1)
R3:
In the event of a sole source request for a professional service, the County Administrative Office should ensure that criteria identified in the “Justification for Sole Source, Sole Brand, or Standardization” form are strictly applied. (F1, F2)
F2:
Based on the documentation that we were provided, the Grand Jury could not determine that the sole source provision was correctly applied.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
In the event of a sole source request for a professional service, the County Administrative Office should ensure that criteria identified in the “Justification for Sole Source, Sole Brand, or Standardization” form are strictly applied. (F1, F2)
F3:
As the result of errors in the CAL categorization, numerous contracts did not receive appropriate Board of Supervisors review.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
The County Administrative Office should list the dollar amount and the percentage change from the prior year for each contract in the CAL. This list should be ranked based on the percentage change. (F3)
F4:
The CAL Section II allowable percentage increase has not been changed in more than 20 years. It remains at 10%, a much higher rate than the CPI.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R5:
The County Administrative Office should modify Section II of the CAL to use an inflationary index set by the BoS instead of the current 10% allowance. (F4)
R6:
The Board of Supervisors should set an inflationary index such as the CPI + 3% as the threshold for annual contract review in Section II of the CAL. (F4)
F5:
It is difficult for the general public to access professional service contracts on the Santa Cruz County website because the website is neither intuitive nor complete.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R7:
The County Administrative Office should create a central repository containing all County professional service contracts on the Santa Cruz County website that can be easily located and searched by the general public. (F5)
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Hallazgos y recomendaciones aún no extraídos.
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Hallazgos y recomendaciones aún no extraídos.
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
15 hallazgos
F1:
County medical staff in 2012 at the Main Jail did not follow accepted standards of care in treating an inmate with complications arising from intravenous opiate abuse.
F2:
There was inadequate communication between Dominican Hospital and the Main Jail medical staff regarding a critical change in diagnostic information.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
CFMG and Dominican Hospital should create a formal protocol by which a CFMG contact person at the Main Jail is directly notified of any changes to an inmate’s medical record at Dominican Hospital. (F2, F3)
F3:
CFMG’s current procedures may fail to detect diagnostic updates by Dominican Hospital under certain situations.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
CFMG and Dominican Hospital should create a formal protocol by which a CFMG contact person at the Main Jail is directly notified of any changes to an inmate’s medical record at Dominican Hospital. (F2, F3)
F4:
CFMG staff failed to identify and treat symptoms of methadone overdose.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
CFMG should modify its detoxification protocols and training procedures to enable its staff to recognize and treat cases of methadone overdose. (F4)
F5:
CFMG staff at the Main Jail has insufficient oversight and treatment facilities for inmates confined in ‘O’ Unit.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
CFMG should maintain a higher level of monitoring in the Main Jail’s ‘O’ Unit, which should contain at least one hospital bed with monitoring equipment and video/audio surveillance accessible by medical staff. (F5)
F6:
Corrections Bureau and CFMG policies differ over when to call CFMG staff for intake screening of inebriated individuals at the Main Jail.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
Corrections Bureau policy should align with CFMG policy calling for CFMG staff to examine all inmates brought into the Main Jail who are inebriated or detoxing to any degree. (F6, F7)
F7:
Corrections Bureau staff at the Main Jail made incorrect judgements regarding the use of monitored housing for inebriated or impaired individuals.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)
R4:
Corrections Bureau policy should align with CFMG policy calling for CFMG staff to examine all inmates brought into the Main Jail who are inebriated or detoxing to any degree. (F6, F7)
R7:
CIT staff at the Main Jail should be involved in the final determination of monitoring and housing requirements for inmates with mental health conditions. (F7)
R8:
CIT staff should be available, in person or by phone, 24 hours a day at the Main Jail to participate in mental health screening, inmate classification decisions, and inmate treatment. (F7, F8)
F8:
The availability of CIT staff is not adequate for the proper determination of an inmate’s needs for immediate mental health medication and monitoring during intake at the Main 16 Jail.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R8:
CIT staff should be available, in person or by phone, 24 hours a day at the Main Jail to participate in mental health screening, inmate classification decisions, and inmate treatment. (F7, F8)
F9:
During the period covered by our investigations, CIT had inadequately documented procedures and lax medical record keeping for the mental health care of inmates at the Main Jail.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R9:
CIT should complete a comprehensive procedural manual of CIT protocols and practices to enable new staff members to perform their jobs without the need for excessive guidance. (F9)
F10:
Corrections Bureau regulations for the frequency of cell inspections and the enforcement of rules governing items permitted in cells have not been consistently followed by Corrections Bureau staff at the Main Jail.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The Corrections Bureau should have regulations regarding inmate behavior posted in all Main Jail housing units and ensure that these regulations are consistently enforced by every CO. (F10) 17
F11:
During the period covered by our investigations, Corrections Bureau protocols and screening practices for individuals entering the Main Jail were insufficient for the interception of illegal drugs.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
The Corrections Bureau should apply Main Jail screening protocols equally to all visitors. (F11)
F12:
CFMG has an extensive catalog of best practices based on decades of experience that are detailed in CFMG protocol manuals and maintained through regular training, review, and audits.
F13:
The addition of a Compliance Officer to the Corrections Bureau staff, and a new regime of accountability, should result in an improvement in regulation compliance and enforcement at the Main Jail.
F14:
CIT record keeping procedures and treatment protocols are undergoing a much needed process of review and improvement.
F15:
CIT has established an improved protocol for gradually transitioning inmates under mental health watch in ‘O’ Unit back into the general population.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
7 hallazgos
F1:
Compostable organic waste, which makes up approximately one third of municipal solid waste, must be diverted in order to extend the life of Santa Cruz County landfills and meet state mandates, specifically AB 1826.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R1:
In order to comply with AB 1826 mandates, the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville should join with Santa Cruz County to form a regional agency to develop a largescale organics recycling system located in Santa Cruz County. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6)
R2:
The current pilot program for composting food waste from restaurants and other large institutions in Capitola and Santa Cruz County should be expanded to serve other businesses in the AB 1826 first and second tiers throughout Santa Cruz County, including Scotts Valley and Watsonville, until a regional facility can be developed. (F1, F2, F4)
F2:
Unless Santa Cruz County and the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola, Scotts Valley and Watsonville invest politically and financially in largescale organics recycling systems, they will be out of compliance with AB 1826 by the year 2020 or sooner.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R1:
In order to comply with AB 1826 mandates, the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville should join with Santa Cruz County to form a regional agency to develop a largescale organics recycling system located in Santa Cruz County. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6)
R2:
The current pilot program for composting food waste from restaurants and other large institutions in Capitola and Santa Cruz County should be expanded to serve other businesses in the AB 1826 first and second tiers throughout Santa Cruz County, including Scotts Valley and Watsonville, until a regional facility can be developed. (F1, F2, F4)
F3:
Santa Cruz County and the cities of Capitola, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville all passed resolutions in 2005 recommending a regional composting facility, but as of 2015, no facility has been constructed, nor is there a completed plan to do so.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
In order to comply with AB 1826 mandates, the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville should join with Santa Cruz County to form a regional agency to develop a largescale organics recycling system located in Santa Cruz County. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6)
F4:
Rather than building a permanent local infrastructure for organics composting, Santa Cruz County and the city of Capitola opted to continue their commercial composting pilot programs by hauling food waste out of the county to the Monterey Bay Regional Waste Management District’s composting facility, at considerable cost in time and fuel.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R1:
In order to comply with AB 1826 mandates, the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville should join with Santa Cruz County to form a regional agency to develop a largescale organics recycling system located in Santa Cruz County. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6)
R2:
The current pilot program for composting food waste from restaurants and other large institutions in Capitola and Santa Cruz County should be expanded to serve other businesses in the AB 1826 first and second tiers throughout Santa Cruz County, including Scotts Valley and Watsonville, until a regional facility can be developed. (F1, F2, F4)
F5:
Unless the Monterey Regional Waste Management District decides to expand its current organic composting facility, Santa Cruz County jurisdictions cannot rely on it as a longterm solution for their organic waste recycling needs.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
In order to comply with AB 1826 mandates, the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville should join with Santa Cruz County to form a regional agency to develop a largescale organics recycling system located in Santa Cruz County. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6)
F6:
Unless the cities of Watsonville and Scotts Valley develop organic waste recycling programs, neither city will be in compliance with AB 1826 by January 1, 2016.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
In order to comply with AB 1826 mandates, the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville should join with Santa Cruz County to form a regional agency to develop a largescale organics recycling system located in Santa Cruz County. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6)
F7:
Rules about what can be put in the “green cart” are inconsistent and not well understood by the general public.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R3:
After selection of a composting contractor and technology by the Local Task Force, Santa Cruz County and the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville should create a coordinated outreach program to inform businesses and the public about the benefits and requirements of the new organics recycling program. (F7)
R4:
Curbside “green carts” and bins should be clearly labeled to instruct residential and commercial customers specifying what materials are acceptable. (F7)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
7 hallazgos
F1:
Local jurisdictions have not provided adequate emergency shelter to accommodate the vast majority (80%) of the more than 3,500 total homeless persons in Santa Cruz County (using 2013 PIT data).
F2:
Despite persistent unmet need, local jurisdictions have neither increased nor planned to increase the number of emergency shelter beds and services.
F3:
The effectiveness of the North County Emergency Winter Shelter is limited by its reliance on the National Guard Armory facility.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Scotts Valley should seek a more permanent, accessible and expandable site for the North County Emergency Winter Shelter program. (F3, F4)
F4:
The absence of a backup plan to replace the National Guard Armory threatens the continuing existence of the North County Emergency Winter Shelter program.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Scotts Valley should seek a more permanent, accessible and expandable site for the North County Emergency Winter Shelter program. (F3, F4)
F5:
Insufficient capacity of emergency shelters limits their potential use as an entry point to the planned coordinated entry system.
F6:
Insufficient numbers of personnel and case managers at the emergency shelters limit the services that can be provided to homeless individuals.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Scotts Valley should allocate more funds for additional case managers for the local emergency shelters. (F6)
F7:
Insufficient number of staff dedicated to grant writing results in missed grant funding opportunities.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Scotts Valley should allocate additional staff to seek more grant funding for emergency shelters. (F7)
Recomendaciones adicionales
1
No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.
R1:
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Scotts Valley should develop plans to provide increased emergency shelter on a priority basis to the most vulnerable populations first, including families, youth, women, and the elderly. (F1F6)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
3 hallazgos
F1:
Continually rising retirement costs and obligations put funding of jurisdictions' services and projects at risk.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
To prevent reductions in public services, each of the six public agencies studied in this report should increase, and make public, their efforts to manage and reduce retirement costs and obligations. (F1)
F2:
A clear and complete statement of the total retirement costs and obligations has not been provided in the budget narrative for either the public or elected officials.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
Each of the six public agencies studied in this report should provide, in language understandable to the public, the totality of retirement obligations in their annual budget narratives beginning with the fiscal year 2015/16 budget. (F2)
F3:
Enrollment in the CalPERS Employers Retiree Benefit Trust Fund reduces employer contributions, prevents retiree health obligations from becoming a significant budget liability, and contributes to a positive credit rating.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
The Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville should enroll in the California Employers Retiree Benefit Trust Fund (CalPERS Trust Fund) to prefund retiree health obligations and unfunded liabilities. (F3)
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Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
6 hallazgos
F1:
The office of the SheriffCoroner has exercised minimal oversight of its contract with California Forensic Medical Group.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
The SheriffCoroner should designate qualified personnel to oversee the medical services contract provisions and compliance with standards. (F1)
F2:
The office of the SheriffCoroner lacks independent medical expertise to oversee California Forensic Medical Group’s delivery of medical services to county detention facilities.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R2:
The SheriffCoroner should obtain independent oversight of its jail medical services by medically qualified personnel. (F2)
F3:
The absence of quality assurance findings and corrective actions in the California Forensic Medical Group Annual Report of Medical Services compromises the ability of the SheriffCoroner to oversee and ensure the quality of care in the county jails.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R4:
The SheriffCoroner should direct its medical care services contractor to include in its annual report quality assurance findings and corrective actions taken as required in the current contract for medical services. These annual reports should be available for review by authorized agencies. (F3)
F4:
Current procedures for monitoring inmates younger than age 65 do not identify their potential need for a higher level of care.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6:
The SheriffCoroner should direct the medical care services contractor to develop and implement procedures to identify at intake and then monitor medically fragile inmates younger than 65 years of age. (F4)
F5:
The contract with California Forensic Medical Group lacks provisions for external review by authorized investigative persons or agencies.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
The SheriffCoroner should, upon contract renewal, require its contractor for jail medical services to provide site specific policy and procedure manuals to the County Health Officer and other authorized reviewers. (F5)
F6:
Without accreditation, contractual adherence to California Medical Association Institute for Medical Quality accreditation standards cannot be verified.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
The SheriffCoroner should require, at the time of contract renewal, that the jail medical services provider obtain and maintain California Medical AssociationInstitute for Medical Quality accreditation for the Main Jail, Blaine Street, and Rountree detention facilities. (F6)
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones
14 hallazgos
F1:
The operations and activities of the Santa Cruz City Schools Parcel Tax Oversight Committee lack the transparency required for public oversight committees, including a website with posted meeting times and locations, agendas, minutes, and membership for the current year and prior historical records.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
Santa Cruz City Schools District should reconstruct and make available on its website an institutional historical record of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee’s activities. This record should include but not be limited to the official committee charge, membership, and annual reports for the entire span of the committee’s existence, 2003 to the present. Where these records are unavailable, the website should note that absence. (F1, F4, F5, F7, F14)
F2:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee has not complied with operating rules defined by the Board of Education with respect to quorum or length of term.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee should ensure that all its members are apprised of the rules and regulations governing their activity, and its officers must require compliance with those rules. Rules should be established for addressing the issue of persistent nonattendance. (F2, F3, F6, F7)
F3:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee has not consistently tracked the attendance or responded to continued absences of its appointed members.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee should ensure that all its members are apprised of the rules and regulations governing their activity, and its officers must require compliance with those rules. Rules should be established for addressing the issue of persistent nonattendance. (F2, F3, F6, F7)
F4:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee has not provided annual oversight reports in any consistent or predictable format accessible to the general public.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R1:
Santa Cruz City Schools District should reconstruct and make available on its website an institutional historical record of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee’s activities. This record should include but not be limited to the official committee charge, membership, and annual reports for the entire span of the committee’s existence, 2003 to the present. Where these records are unavailable, the website should note that absence. (F1, F4, F5, F7, F14)
F5:
The lack of publicly available information regarding open positions on the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee leaves taxpayers who are not associated with Santa Cruz City Schools unaware of opportunities to serve on the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R1:
Santa Cruz City Schools District should reconstruct and make available on its website an institutional historical record of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee’s activities. This record should include but not be limited to the official committee charge, membership, and annual reports for the entire span of the committee’s existence, 2003 to the present. Where these records are unavailable, the website should note that absence. (F1, F4, F5, F7, F14)
R7:
The Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Education should solicit applications from the public at large whenever vacancies occur or terms expire among Board appointed seats. (F5)
F6:
For the 201314 school year (the first year of the new Measures I and J) the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee failed to meet, monitor expenditures and report to the community.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee should ensure that all its members are apprised of the rules and regulations governing their activity, and its officers must require compliance with those rules. Rules should be established for addressing the issue of persistent nonattendance. (F2, F3, F6, F7)
F7:
Neither the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee nor Santa Cruz City Schools has been able to verify that the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee has met its responsibility to monitor expenditures and report annually to the community.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R1:
Santa Cruz City Schools District should reconstruct and make available on its website an institutional historical record of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee’s activities. This record should include but not be limited to the official committee charge, membership, and annual reports for the entire span of the committee’s existence, 2003 to the present. Where these records are unavailable, the website should note that absence. (F1, F4, F5, F7, F14)
R3:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee should ensure that all its members are apprised of the rules and regulations governing their activity, and its officers must require compliance with those rules. Rules should be established for addressing the issue of persistent nonattendance. (F2, F3, F6, F7)
F8:
Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Education has not defined the form that the annual report should take.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R6:
The required Parcel Tax Oversight Committee annual report at the end of the fiscal year should be prepared in advance and included in the Board book, presented orally at a Board meeting, distributed to local media, and published on the Santa Cruz City Schools website. (F8)
R8:
Future parcel tax language should be more precise about the specific responsibilities of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, especially regarding the advisory nature of their oversight, required public reporting, and Brown Act compliance. (F8, F12, F13, F14)
F9:
Administrative and clerical duties have been assigned to the counselors, counseling secretaries, and library staff, who are funded by parcel tax money. The use of parcel tax money to pay for administrative and clerical costs is contrary to the intent of the measure language.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R9:
Future parcel tax language should more accurately reflect the intent and priorities of the SCCS regarding spending priorities by including funding percentages where appropriate. (F9, F11)
F10:
Santa Cruz City Schools failed in its obligation to provide annual information regarding the allocation of parcel tax funds.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5:
Santa Cruz City Schools business office should reconstruct from its financial records the parcel tax expenditures for all the years since the parcel tax was collected and post these on its website. (F10)
F11:
The Board of Education has failed to follow its own explicit commitments for the proportional allocation of parcel tax funds.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R4:
The Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Education should clarify its position on the percentages for funding priorities to which it committed in 2006, and either explicitly revise those percentages or instruct the District business office to comply with those percentages in its budget. (F11)
R9:
Future parcel tax language should more accurately reflect the intent and priorities of the SCCS regarding spending priorities by including funding percentages where appropriate. (F9, F11)
F12:
The Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, Board of Education Trustees, and Santa Cruz City Schools staff disagree concerning the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee’s role in making expenditure recommendations.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R8:
Future parcel tax language should be more precise about the specific responsibilities of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, especially regarding the advisory nature of their oversight, required public reporting, and Brown Act compliance. (F8, F12, F13, F14)
F13:
The Board of Education has failed to provide a formal charge to the members of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (2)
R8:
Future parcel tax language should be more precise about the specific responsibilities of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, especially regarding the advisory nature of their oversight, required public reporting, and Brown Act compliance. (F8, F12, F13, F14)
R10:
The Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Education should provide the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee with a formal charge. (F13)
F14:
The Board of Education has failed to require the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee to comply with the Brown Act.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (3)
R1:
Santa Cruz City Schools District should reconstruct and make available on its website an institutional historical record of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee’s activities. This record should include but not be limited to the official committee charge, membership, and annual reports for the entire span of the committee’s existence, 2003 to the present. Where these records are unavailable, the website should note that absence. (F1, F4, F5, F7, F14)
R8:
Future parcel tax language should be more precise about the specific responsibilities of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, especially regarding the advisory nature of their oversight, required public reporting, and Brown Act compliance. (F8, F12, F13, F14)
R11:
The Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Education should require the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee to comply with the Brown Act. (F14)
Recomendaciones adicionales
1
No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.
R2:
The Santa Cruz City Schools website for the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee should include the Brown Act requirement, posted meeting times and locations, agendas, minutes, and membership, both for past and upcoming meetings. (F1,