Solano County Grand Jury
2023-2024
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
- Vacaville’s OPEB Unfunded Liability Debt remains the largest in Solano County and threatens the stability of city services to its residents. There are no new ideas or public oversight at this time to resolve the debt issue. An OPEB Unfunded Liability Debt advisory committee no longer exists.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
- The Vacaville City Council pursue new and creative ideas which include city employees and residents input aimed at decisions that reduce or eliminate the OPEB Unfunded Liability Debt.
R1b:
- Form a committee, through the City Council, with authority to resolve the Unfunded Liability Debt. The committee should be chaired by a Vacaville resident and include residents as well as city staff.
F2:
– Vacaville City Council has not been looking beyond CalPERS recommendations for health coverage, limiting other options that are available.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
- Vacaville City Council should have staff research and present to the Council other health care choices.
F3:
- The City of Vacaville has a current budget that is balanced and also has a healthy 40% reserve account which could provide funds to decrease the Unfunded Liability Debt.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Vacaville City Council consider using the reserve account to reduce the OPEB Unfunded Liability Debt.
F4:
- Some Special Pays are calculated into retiree pension funds, which increases the cost to the City.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
- The City of Vacaville reduce the Unfunded Liability Debt by avoiding the inclusion of special pays when calculating retirement pensions. COMMENTS Staff from every governmental organization in Solano County should read the article “Ranks of high-priced public pensioners explode in state” published in the Daily Republic on June 3, 2024. This article contains facts and figures showing the increase in pension monies that were paid out since 2011. Currently, CalPERS has only 72% of the money that it owes to the workers.
Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F1:
– The County Board of Supervisors is not filling Cemetery Board positions in a timely manner, risking less than optimal group decision-making by Cemetery Boards.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Solano County Board of Supervisors adhere to the 90-day deadline for filling cemetery board positions (Government Code section 1779).
F2:
– One District Board member is not a registered voter in the represented District, conflicting with the purpose of Special District governance to ensure the assigned community service is operated with local control.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Solano County Board of Supervisors ensure that Cemetery District Board Members are registered to vote within the district in which they serve, as required by Health and Safety Code section 9022 subsection (a).
F3:
– Required Endowment Care signage was either not visible or incorrectly placed at some cemeteries. This constitutes noncompliance with requirements for posting Endowment Care signage.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– All Cemetery Districts ensure their Endowment Care signage complies with Health and Safety Code section 8741.
F4:
– Vacaville cemetery has no entrance signage at the Marshall Street (rear) entrance, creating an inconvenience for visitors seeking access to the cemetery.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– Vacaville install signage at the Marshall Street (rear) entrance (Health and Safety Code section 8741).
F5:
– Not all Cemetery Districts are fully compliant with legal requirements to post certain categories of data on their websites. This results in failure to provide the public with the required easily accessible and accurate information about the district.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Non-compliant Cemetery Districts review Government Code 53087.8 and ensure they comply with website requirements.
F6:
– Solano and Vacaville Cemetery Districts have not maintained up-to-date submissions of “Public Agencies’ Statement of Facts Roster of Public Agencies Filing.” This results in inaccurate information and prevents State and County governments from maintaining and providing accurate public records.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
– Solano and Vacaville Cemetery Districts comply with Government Code section 53051 by filing the required Statement.
F7:
– Electronic payments are not accepted at Rio Vista Cemetery District, posing an inconvenience to District clients.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
– Rio Vista Cemetery update their payment practices to include electronic payment options such as credit cards. COMMENTS Silveyville Cemetery District demonstrates an exceptional level of compliance with Best Practices of Transparency (Attachment A) on their website.
Findings & Recommendations
1 findings
F1:
– Vallejo Police Department 911 Operators continue to work in a hazardous and toxic work environment. This situation has not been resolved for years. A resolution has not been approved or funded, leaving any long-term solution undetermined.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Temporarily move the 911 Operators to 400 Mare Island Way no later than the first quarter of 2025. When a long-term solution is completed, the 911 Operators can be moved to a permanent location. COMMENTS The move to 400 Mare Island Way is the most cost effective and quickest transition for the 911 operators while a long-term resolution is finalized. The SCCGJ will follow the progress on the relocation of Police Department Staff until they are placed in a safe working environment. For ten years, Vallejo City Council has been ignoring solutions to the core issues created by the hazardous conditions at 111 Amador Street. When it comes to moving the police operations over to 400 Mare Island Way, this appears to be the most cost-effective and quickest transition. The City of Vallejo has already spent $1 million dollars in design, but it has not produced any results.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– The Public Health Laboratory has an antiquated billing system that is not secure and cannot process billing with credit cards and electronically, which may lead to security breaches as well as delays in payment processing.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Purchase a new secure system which can process billings through credit cards or EFT. This Recommendation was noted in the 2012-13 Civil Grand Jury Report and has still not been completed. Establish a completion date and finalize the acquisition of the upgrade no later than June 30, 2025.
F2:
– The accuracy of health information provided by CDC, NIH, WHO and Solano County Public Health Department to the general public greatly diminished community trust due to inaccurate information distributed by government agencies during the Covid pandemic.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Re-establish public trust within the community regarding the accuracy of health information and their contribution to public health. The Solano County Public Health Department establish more aggressive displays of its services and functions through public outreach programs. Participate in activities such as regional television and radio networks, county newspapers, local churches, school programs, civic organizations, local markets and festivals, and public access channels. COMMENTS Since the release of the 2012-13 report, the Public Health Lab has made several improvements. The facility is fully staffed due to changes in hiring practices. The billing process has improved with the addition of a billing assistant. The Lab appears very clean and well managed by the Public Health Laboratory Director.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
– On-going in-service training with canines and canine handlers is currently taking place, but not consistent across all agencies throughout the County. Canine pre-deployment training has generally been through a third party outside of the law enforcement agency. In the past, pre-deployment training practices had been a harsh environment for the canine. Occasionally severe discipline was used to train the canine causing the canine a high level of stress during and after the training period.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Use an outside agency for pre-deployment training only if the training facility and trainers are adhering to Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) training practices with positive reinforcement. For on-going in-service training, continue monthly training of the canine team through positive reinforcement. Train for a minimum of 16 hours a month, or 192 hours annually on current skills and new techniques. Elements of the training techniques should be made available to the public.
F2:
– While there is a retirement plan for the Patrol Officers, there is no standard Canine Officers retirement plan available. This leaves the canine handler to cover all medical costs which may include injuries that occurred while in service.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Provide all retired Canine Officers with medical insurance coverage at time of retirement, similar to that of the Patrol Officers. Medical coverage must cover both the scheduled routine medical issues and emergency medical services if ever needed. A meal allowance must also be in place for all retired Canine Officers. Create a standardized procedure in place for handling of retired Canine Officers until end of life. In the placement of a retiring Canine Officer the current handler should be given first choice. In the event that they cannot take on that role, there needs to be a process in place for continued care.
F3:
– Not all law enforcement agencies within the county have Canine Officers. The law enforcement agencies that do, see multiple benefits of having the Canine Officers on staff. In some cases, an increase in non-confrontational apprehensions is as much as ten times over those of a non-Canine Team.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Increase Canine Officer staffing throughout the County. All law enforcement agencies should have at least one Canine Officer per shift. For the larger agencies, more Canine Officers may be needed to cover all needed situations and areas. Canine Officer/population ratio should be at least one Canine Officer per 15,000 population.
F4:
– There are only a few Peer Support Canines available to assist in emotional and behavioral support within a few agencies. Peer Support Canines play an important role in monitoring and recognizing the emotional and behavioral needs within high stress events and are able to soothe and support through their calming and caring personalities.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– Increase Peer Support Canine staffing. All law enforcement agencies need to have at least one Peer Support Canine per shift.
F5:
– Canine activity and incident tracking throughout the county differs between agencies. Although being tracked, the agencies have adopted their own manner of tracking and documenting. This allows the media to exploit only the rare aggressive activities with little exposure to the positive side of the Canine Officer’s contribution.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Activity and incident tracking within the county for Canine Teams need to be consistent. Have Canine Team activity reports readily available to the public.
F6:
– Canine Officers no longer engage in crowd control, as having canines in large crowds over stressed the Canine Officer, causing confusion.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
– Continue using the Canine Officers only in patrol, detection and search and rescue. COMMENTS Solano County’s Civil Grand Jury investigation on canine activity and duties contradicted much of what the media is presenting. Canine training has been updated from past years to a positive reinforcement training curriculum with improved results. Apprehensions are much higher with a canine team than without. Data shows as much as ten times more apprehensions with a Canine Team than without. In many cases, the Canine Officer was never deployed, but being on site deterred the suspect through intimidation. We applaud the use of Brady’s K-9 Fund or similar agencies and grants to support Canine Officers’ needs, both while in-service and retired.
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
– Not all public school libraries publicize policies and procedures to address how a request to ban a book is implemented.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– All public school libraries within the County update (or create) and publicize uniform policies and procedures on how to reject inappropriate book banning proposals.
F2:
– Public school libraries run the risk of monetary fines if they do not comply with the new regulations by July 2025, incurring potential fiscal risk.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– All public school libraries adopt uniform policies and procedures incorporating requirements of the new law by July 2025, thereby avoiding the possibility of future fines.
F3:
– Not all school library staff members have been properly trained to address the general public’s interest in requests for banning, which may lead to further issues in implementing the new regulations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Implement appropriate training for all staff members who will need to address the issue when approached by the public.
F4:
– Not all public school libraries have standing panels or committees with librarians who are qualified for each genre of books to respond to requests for banning, which could lead to inconsistent application of the new regulations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– All public school libraries within the County establish standing panels or committees who respond to requests for banning, consisting of members familiar with library literature and knowledge of requirements of the new regulation. COMMENTS Since AB 1078 pertains only to public schools, most of our findings regard public school libraries. Solano County Public Libraries already follow ALA principles which state, “every single member of society deserves free, high-quality access to knowledge and culture.” Therefore, we commend them for their principles.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
Solano County Public Cemetery Districts Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery District o Solano Cemetery District o Rio Vista-Montezuma Cemetery District o Solano County Board of Supervisors o
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
Solano County Public Cemetery Districts o Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery District o Solano Cemetery District o Rio Vista-Montezuma Cemetery District
F2:
Is Vacaville Managing its Unfunded Liability Debt? City of Vacaville Mayor o City of Vacaville City Council o
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
Is Vacaville Managing its Unfunded Liability Debt? o City of Vacaville Mayor o City of Vacaville City Council
F3:
Solano County Canine Officer Training, Handling & End of Career Policies Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Sheriff’s Office o City of Fairfield Chief of Police o City of Benicia Chief of Police o City of Suisun Chief of Police o City of Vallejo Chief of Police o City of Fairfield City Council o City of Suisun City Council o City of Vallejo City Council o
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
Solano County Canine Officer Training, Handling & End of Career Policies o Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Sheriff's Office City of Fairfield Chief of Police o City of Benicia Chief of Police o City of Suisun Chief of Police o City of Vallejo Chief of Police o City of Fairfield City Council o City of Suisun City Council o City of Vallejo City Council
F4:
Public Health Laboratory Systems Review Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Director of Health & Social Services o Solano County Director of Public Health o
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
Public Health Laboratory Systems Review o Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Director of Health & Social Services o Solano County Director of Public Health
F5:
Hazardous Work Environment for Vallejo’s 911 Operators Vallejo City Council o Vallejo Interim City Manager o
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
Hazardous Work Environment for Vallejo's 911 Operators o Vallejo City Council o Vallejo Interim City Manager
F6:
Book Banning in Solano County? Solano County School Board o Benicia Unified School District – on behalf of Solano County School Board o Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District – on behalf of Solano County School Board o Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Office of Education o Solano County Director of Library Services o Fourteen called-for responses remain unanswered as of October 8, 2024.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
Book Banning in Solano County?
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R23-24:
SCCGJ Reports "Timely" Responses Req'd Responses "OnTime" Responses V. FINDING AND RECOMMENDATION FINDING The SCCGJ received twenty-two timely responses from the following organizations in response to the following 2023-2024 Civil Grand Jury Reports: • Solano County Public Cemetery Districts Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery District o Solano Cemetery District o Rio Vista-Montezuma Cemetery District o Solano County Board of Supervisors o • Is Vacaville Managing its Unfunded Liability Debt? City of Vacaville Mayor o City of Vacaville City Council o • Solano County Canine Officer Training, Handling & End of Career Policies Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Sheriff’s Office o City of Fairfield Chief of Police o City of Benicia Chief of Police o City of Suisun Chief of Police o City of Vallejo Chief of Police o City of Fairfield City Council o City of Suisun City Council o City of Vallejo City Council o • Public Health Laboratory Systems Review Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Director of Health & Social Services o Solano County Director of Public Health o • Hazardous Work Environment for Vallejo’s 911 Operators Vallejo City Council o Vallejo Interim City Manager o • Book Banning in Solano County? Solano County School Board o Benicia Unified School District – on behalf of Solano County School Board o Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District – on behalf of Solano County School Board o Solano County Board of Supervisors o Solano County Office of Education o Solano County Director of Library Services o Fourteen called-for responses remain unanswered as of October 8, 2024. RECOMMENDATION The SCCGJ recommends the remaining open required responses listed in the
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
– Electronic controls for dispensing and monitoring gasoline and diesel fuel use, have been successfully implemented. However, there are no similar electronic controls for vehicles using propane or DEF.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Investigate implementing dispensing and monitoring controls for usage of both propane and DEF.
F2:
– Telemetric monitoring is available in many of the County’s fleet vehicles, but those capabilities have not been activated. Having telemetrics activated in the County’s fleet vehicles would benefit multiple divisions in required vehicle maintenance, emergency breakdown notification, vehicle location and geo fencing notification.
Related Recommendations (3)
R2A:
– Update the County’s software to enable electronic communications to and from County fleet vehicles to the maintenance department and divisions within the County for the limited purpose of enabling data for maintenance purposes.
R2B:
- Activate the current County’s fleet vehicles that already have the telemetric monitoring systems onboard for the limited purpose of enabling data for maintenance purposes.
R2C:
- Install the needed telemetric hardware in the remaining County fleet vehicles that do not currently have that hardware and activate it for the limited purpose of enabling data for maintenance purposes.
F3:
– Combining the Fleet Management shops has resulted in a loss of work shop space.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Fleet Management initiate a request to identify a new location that can handle maintenance requirements for both light and heavy equipment vehicles.
F4:
– Twenty percent of the County’s fleet vehicles are being driven less than the required minimum miles each year. The County is experiencing a great deal of underutilized vehicles.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– The County should complete an in-depth analysis of the needs of the County’s fleet requirements and determine a realistic minimum number of miles accumulated by each vehicle and the steps needed to utilize available telemetric technology.
F5:
– Fleet Management is maintaining nearly $200,000 in overstock and/or obsolete parts.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Contract a third-party vendor to handle the County’s fleet parts inventory and needs. A consignment inventory could free up cash flow as well as keep the needed parts current and up to date on the vehicles the County has within the fleet.
F6:
– With recent pronouncements in California concerning the future prohibition of the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. Fleet vehicles ultimately will be largely made up of electric/hybrid vehicles. At present, there are simply not enough County owned charging stations to meet the anticipated needs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
– The County must secure additional charging stations to handle the influx of electric/hybrid County vehicles. Moreover, the County needs to update the driver handbook with County electric/hybrid vehicle operations. COMMENTS – Over the past several years in fleet maintenance, significant improvement has taken place in a number of areas. A proactive plan is under development and once recognized and approved will be a working document.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
– The bed rate calculation ,which include custody expenses used by the Sheriff’s Custody Division, has increased from $178/day in 2017 to $382/day in 2022. Budget patterns and metrics do not reflect steps being taken to reduce custody expenses.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1A:
– The County continue re-evaluating operations to assess how to control costs with a currently declining inmate population, including consulting with other jurisdictions and reviewing best practices and efficiencies achieved in other counties.
R1B:
– The County needs to develop a plan to reduce the number of Custody Officers through attrition, including retirements, a hiring freeze, expanding duties, and increased training and promotions to deputy positions.
F2:
– The County Custody Division is not taking advantage of opportunities to internally address some of the diverging trends with respect to detainee management such as leasing bed space, better use of the Rourk facility, etc.
Related Recommendations (4)
R2A:
– The County revisit leasing available detention facility beds to other jurisdictions. Leasing bed space can improve facility occupancy and workload metrics that have minimum staffing requirements.
R2B:
– The County explore expansion of high demand community services vocational classes at Rourk. Classes could include hospitality training, landscape services, tree trimming, truck driver training, pest control, food service certification and cooking. Create class lengths that are commensurate with detainee retention.
R2C:
– When the type of detainees allows, the County reinstate food services by inmates.
R2D:
– Evaluate the use of new technology, including video and body cameras, website visitations, and other information technology updates, to generate cost saving efficiencies and improve safety for officers and inmates.
F3:
– Custody Division occupancy rate continues to decline. They are not efficiently addressing how to incorporate advances in detainment policies and changes in state laws.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Custody Division evaluate alternate use of their facilities for less restrictive alternatives. Consider an electronic monitoring center, increase work furlough programs, and the use of less restrictive community-based Adult Residential Facilities or transitional housing. COMMENTS The County’s budget officer should continue to take an active role helping correctional administrators overcome obstacles that make it difficult to reallocate dollars to community-based treatments.
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
– The “Countywide Waste Integrated Management Plan Documents” website page descriptions makes it difficult to identify the most current approved and accurate information. Although the documents were marked with a date, many of the titles referenced qualifying words such as “Preliminary Draft,” “Draft,” and “Final Draft.”
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Resource Management improve the transparency on the website by posting only the most current approved version for the benefit of both agencies and citizens of the County. Older versions should be archived to a separate location in the event they are needed.
F2:
– In compliance with AB 939, the Board of Supervisors established the Solano County Integrated Waste Management Task Force in 1990. The County’s website for the task force does not appear to be updated since 2018. Review of 24 posted Agendas between April 2015 and May 2019 indicates 11 meetings were cancelled. The most recent meeting minutes available online are from September 13, 2018 (indicating no meetings have been held in at least 4 ½ years), of which only 13 of 24 member organizations listed were present. This lack of consistent meeting reporting reduces the transparency of the Task Force activities and potentially impacts environmental safety of the County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Establish a standing meeting schedule for Resource Management’s Integrated Waste Management Section to keep members engaged and informed. Consideration be given to meeting on a semi-annual or annual basis, at a minimum. Additionally, a current roster of members and the Task Force’s update By-Laws be posted to the website for access by the public.
F3:
– The City of Rio Vista failed to comply with all required reporting regulations to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board regarding the closed dump site. Such reports may identify hazards to the land, waterways, and residents around the site.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– City of Rio Vista officials comply with all required monitoring and reporting requirements by required due date deadlines.
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
All applicable County departments must be provided with a copy of the current Fleet 200 Management list entitled Authorized to Fuel County Vehicles and a current list from the A-Check system (EPN database). Once obtained the two lists must be reconciled 201 202 against each other and appropriate updates must be made as necessary. 203 204
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
All applicable County departments must be provided with a copy of the current Fleet 200 Management list entitled Authorized to Fuel County Vehicles and a current list from the A-Check system (EPN database). Once obtained the two lists must be reconciled 201 202 against each other and appropriate updates must be made as necessary. 203 204
F2:
– The controls associated with required approval reviews and updates to fuel county 213 vehicles list revealed weaknesses. Review of a sample of 125 employee's forms found 108 had 214 deficiencies resulting in an 86.4 percent exception rate. Annual department reviews for the 215 purpose of ensuring compliance with the driver authorization and EPN enrollment are not 216 effective and present risk and potential liability to the County. 217 218
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Perform a Driver Authorization and Driver Performance Policy process 219 review. The County Administrator's Office engage the Audit Division of the Auditor- 220 Controller's Office to accomplish this review. Scope of the review could include: 221 > Determine if there is a single source report to reflect current employees authorized to 222 drive in the service of the County 223 > Validate what procedures should be required during the annual department review and 224 ensure they are properly documented 225 > Verify proof of automobile liability insurance coverage at the required levels and 226 maintenance of current California vehicle registration and license plates on privately 227 owned or leased vehicles driven on County business 228 Verify once an authorized driver leaves County employment or assignment the driver's 229 name is deleted from the EPN program 230 Examine documented responsibility workflows for revocation and/or suspension of 231 driving privileges. There appears to be conflicting instructions on whom is ultimately 232 responsible via multiple handoff instructions 233 234
F3:
The County must compare the names on the two lists (number one recommendation) 209 obtained and make appropriate correction entries as necessary to the applicable Fleet 210 and DMV system databases. 211 212 FINDING 2 – The controls associated with required approval reviews and updates to fuel county 213 vehicles list revealed weaknesses. Review of a sample of 125 employee's forms found 108 had 214 deficiencies resulting in an 86.4 percent exception rate. Annual department reviews for the 215 purpose of ensuring compliance with the driver authorization and EPN enrollment are not 216 effective and present risk and potential liability to the County. 217 218
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The County must compare the names on the two lists (number one recommendation) 209 obtained and make appropriate correction entries as necessary to the applicable Fleet 210 and DMV system databases. 211 212
Findings & Recommendations
1 findings
F2:
– Moving the Vallejo Police Department out of its current location is warranted given 89 the health and safety concerns. 90 91
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Re-location is highly recommended. 92 93 COMMENTS 94 95 The Solano County Grand Jury will report the issue regarding the existing condition of the 96 Vallejo Police Department facility to OSHA. 97 98
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
– The Jury recommends that the lack of repair of the Vallejo Police 86 Department facility be referred to the appropriate regulatory agency. 87 88
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
1 findings
F1:
– The agencies and municipalities within Solano County have not always fully and adequately complied with the legal requirements to reply to Civil Grand Jury reports (as specified in Penal Code section 933). COMMENTS Each Grand Jury throughout the State of California takes its obligation seriously to investigate issues that affect their county and municipal government operations. Civil Grand Jury reports include findings and recommendations that result in improved governmental effectiveness and efficiency. California State law requires each entity to respond in a timely and appropriate manner, addressing specified findings and recommendations. The current Civil Grand Jury recommends that future panels evaluate and report on legally required responses to their reports on a more regular basis and refer evidence of failure to comply with statutorily required responses to the Presiding Judge. COURTESY COPIES Presiding Judge, Solano County Superior Court Board of Supervisors, Solano County Solano County Offices of Emergency Services City of Dixon, Mayor and City Council City of Vallejo, Mayor and City Council
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– Declining revenue from Tobacco Tax funding presents both current and future monetary challenges for maintaining mandated First 5 Solano services.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
– If the State Controller does not act according to Revenue and Taxation Code section 30130.54(b) and transfer appropriate funding, First 5 Solano can request offsets.
R1b:
– Develop further sources of income, both public and private, to maintain and expand delivery of services.
F2:
– First 5 Solano currently operates a Family Learning Center in the City of Vallejo only. Residents of other cities in Solano County could benefit from similar programs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Establish additional First 5 Solano Family Learning Centers in each city within Solano County. COMMENTS This Civil Grand Jury is the first in Solano County to review and investigate First 5 Solano since California voters approved it in 1998 through Proposition 10. The Civil Grand Jury found that First 5 Solano makes a significant contribution to the direction of children’s lives and is a crucial partner for the Solano County community.
Additional Recommendations
13
Not linked to specific findings.
R3:
Children access comprehensive health
R4:
Children and parents/primary caregivers All Solano County access appropriate mental health services
R5:
Reliable, affordable child care is consistently RI: Mothers have healthy pregnancies CHILDHOOD WELL-BEING available to families
R6:
Child care providers know and practice high- DEVELOPMENT quality child care programming GOAL 2 GOAL 4 All children maintain optimal health All children enter kindergarten ready to learn
R7:
Parents and primary caregivers are educated insurance and health care services on, prepared to, and engage in helping their VISION: children enter school ready to learn
R8:
Children have access to quality, affordable early learning experiences in their community (Birth-5) children are healthy, eager to learn, and nurtured by strong families in safe GOAL 5 GOAL 7 and inclusive All families are safe, stable, and self sufficient Early childhood systems are strong, integrated, sufficiently resourced, communities and equitable
R9:
Families know about and access the necessary community support systems and services to meet their basic needs
R10:
Children are raised in safe homes and healthy communities
R11:
Using community resources and supports, and outcomes are equitable for all young children parents and primary caregivers are educated and families on and practice effective parenting strategies VALUES: EQUITY - ACCESSIBILITY - SUSTAINABILITY - ADVOCACY - COLLABORATION - RESPECT Source: First 5 Solano 2022 Strategic Plan Update First 5 Solano receives funding from a variety of sources, the largest being Tobacco Tax funds. Additional funding comes from the Mental Health Services Act and grants. In California fiscal year 2021-2022 (July 1 to June 30) First 5 Solano had revenues of $6,659,397. Tobacco funds accounted for a little over half of total revenue at $3,466,688. First 5 Solano received additional State funds of $2,000,000 earmarked for the creation of a Fairfield First 5 Family Learning Center as well as $104,666 for Home Visiting Coordination. The California Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) provided $422,868 to First 5 Solano and it received $67,951 for services to other Solano County Departments. Grants contributed significantly to First 5 Solano. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation granted $400,000 for the Vallejo and planned Fairfield First 5 centers. Genentech Corporation provided $5,000 for Pre-K academies. Medic contributed $33,000 to the Vallejo First 5 center. First 5 Solano also received $10,635 from other funds. First 5 Solano funds several agencies within Solano County (see chart on page - 7 -) to provide services to children aged 0-5 and their families. At the time of this report, they contract with one Family Learning Center in Vallejo, available only to citizens of Vallejo. III.
R12:
Systems are strengthened with the increased capacity of providers
R13:
Systems are integrated with cross-sector partnerships and aligned goals, services, PRIORITY AREA 3 PRIORITY AREA 4 and outcomes FAMILY SYSTEMS GOAL 6
R14:
Systems are expanded and sustained with SUPPORT All parents and primary caregivers support CHANGE financial resources and legislative or policy their children's development AND PARENT changes EDUCATION
R15:
Systems are transformed so access, experiences.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
– Fairfield did not comply with its own commitment in its Response to the 2019-20 Grand Jury investigative report to track the use of Measure P revenues.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– The City should immediately begin tracking all funds received pursuant to Measure P and begin reporting on the expenditure of those funds. The City should also immediately begin making information available to the Oversight Committee as to how the Measure P funds are being spent.
F2:
– The Oversight Committee is not currently an advisory committee and as such is not allowed to advise, or make recommendations to, the Fairfield City Council on the use of Measure P funds.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– The Oversight Committee should be a real oversight committee and be allowed to make recommendations to the City Council with respect to the use of Measure P funds. Such changes to the process would result in more work and more focused work on the part of the members of the Oversight Committee.
F3:
– The Oversight Committee, whose members are uncompensated, reviews and analyzes a great deal of financial information, meets four times each year, and is required to report to the Fairfield City Council on the use of Measure P funds. A great deal of time must be devoted to these efforts, and even more time would be required were the City to adopt
Related Recommendations (2)
R3A:
– The number of standard Oversight Committee meetings should be no less than six each year.
R3B:
– Oversight Committee members should receive an appropriate stipend per meeting attended plus reimbursement of mileage at the legal rate.
F4:
– To date, the Oversight Committee’s only interaction with the City Council has been to sporadically prepare an annual report and present it to the City Council each year before completion of the annual audit related to Measure P. The report has not been prepared every year and has been prepared at different times in different years.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4A:
– The Oversight Committee should prepare an annual report following the City’s fiscal year-end and it should be prepared and presented to the City Council before the end of each calendar year.
R4B:
– The Oversight Committee should prepare an additional report after receipt and review of the annual third-party audit of Measure P funds and any additional reports it deems necessary or advisable.
F5:
– Other than a sporadically issued annual report, the Oversight Committee has no real contact with the City Council or the ability to bring concerns it might have with respect to the use of Measure P funds to the City Council.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– The Oversight Committee should be scheduled on the City Council agenda no less than twice each year and the Committee should be allowed, if not encouraged, to request to be on the City Council agenda additional times as the Committee deems necessary.
F6:
– When the Oversight Committee has prepared an annual report, it has not uniformly been posted on the City’s website. Moreover, historical annual reports have not been consistently made available on the City's website.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
– The Oversight Committee annual report should consistently be released publicly and posted on the City of Fairfield’s website shortly after it is presented to the City Council. All such annual reports should remain available indefinitely on the City’s website. COMMENTS At one point, one member of the Oversight Committee was a minor. That Commissioner was also a member of the City’s Youth Commission. There is no requirement that a minor hold one of the seats on the Oversight Committee. In the interest of involving young people in the governance of their community, the City might consider adding a minor to the membership of the Oversight Committee.
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– The Benicia Wastewater Treatment Plant depends on the city electrical supply, as it does not have plans to install renewable energy sources. In the event of a citywide electrical blackout, staff stated the plant can operate for up to thirty days on gas/oil fuel, the burning of which would diminish local air quality.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– To maximize air quality of the surrounding area, continue to investigate the use of renewable energy sources to reduce fossil fuel use.
F2:
– As the Dixon Wastewater Treatment Plant does not capture methane gas produced onsite, available methane cannot be used as fuel for co-generation energy production.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Investigate the benefits of installing methane capture equipment for digestive tanks and compost areas. COMMENTS Overall, the quality of the effluent water from the treatment plants in Solano County is quite good. The plants should be encouraged to work with Federal and State Environmental Protection Agencies to develop ways to make this water available to County residents and businesses, rather than releasing it into the ground or local waterways. Several wastewater treatment plants in Solano County use chlorination as a final step in the decontamination process. This requires maintaining adequate supplies of chemicals for chlorination and dechlorination. The staff members we spoke with assured us that their stored amounts never reached a critical level, even during times of supply chain issues. The Fairfield-Suisun plant uses Ultraviolet radiation to complete the decontamination process. Other plants’ staff indicated it is an expensive upgrade and not feasible at the time of this report, even though it would avoid potential bottleneck supply or hazardous materials incidents. The Solano County wastewater treatment plants that do not use Ultraviolet radiation decontamination equipment should be encouraged to investigate the possibilities of installing this system.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
14 findings
F1:
Shelter Solano, Inc.’s lack of unrestricted funding prevents the shelter from operating at capacity.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
B: Local agency partners adopt a regionalized service delivery and funding model that does not restrict bed usage based on a bed-night rate agreement with the county and/or donor city, but rather allows access to beds based on client need regardless of the city of origin and works toward reducing the number of homeless living on the streets.
F2:
The Solano County Civil Grand Jury found it difficult to track money and funding between SHELTER, Inc., and Shelter Solano, Inc. Often, the names of the two entities are used interchangeably. It is unclear which funding sources are specifically awarded to Shelter Solano, Inc. and which funding sources are awarded to SHELTER, Inc.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
Local agency partners establish a transparent system of tracking and reporting funds that clearly differentiates between SHELTER, Inc. and Shelter Solano, Inc.
F3:
Confusion exists in the Solano community regarding what services and/or programming in Solano County is provided by SHELTER, Inc. and what is provided by Shelter Solano, Inc.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
Local agency partners work together to develop and implement transparent reporting of services and programming that clearly differentiates between those provided by SHELTER, Inc. and those provided by Shelter Solano, Inc.
F4:
The Solano County Civil Grand Jury found it unclear which funding sources awarded to SHELTER, Inc, are specifically assigned to Shelter Solano, Inc., and which funding sources were awarded to SHELTER, Inc. to provide services in Solano County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
Local agency partners work with SHELTER, Inc. and funding providers to establish a more transparent and reconciliation method to clearly disclose which funding sources they receive specifically for Shelter Solano, Inc. and which funding sources SHELTER, Inc. receives that are earmarked for SHELTER, Inc. to provide services in Solano County.
F5:
There is a lack of metrics and comprehensive data collection to inform decision- making, to monitor and measure program efficacy and performance, as well as outcomes across the homeless service continuum.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
Across the continuum of services, develop metrics to measure and monitor program efficacy, performance and outcomes, to include a transparent system of reporting.
F6:
Despite improved collaboration between the service providers, funders, municipal government, and county, there remains a lack of an overall leadership role/authority.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
A: Overall leadership with authority to address homelessness is required to provide direction, ensure timely coordination of services, demand accountability, and liaison with the community.
F7:
The SCCGJ found no evidence that CAP Solano, JPA is registered as a public agency with the State of California or Solano County as required.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
CAP Solano, JPA file the necessary forms with the State of California and Solano County and consistently meet filing requirements.
F8:
The public is unaware of the volume of money coming into Solano County to address the homeless issue.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8:
CAP Solano, JPA should create a dashboard disclosing the money coming into Solano County; how it is used, by whom, and their return on investment (program outcomes).
F9:
Feedback from multiple stakeholders and document review during the SCCGJ’s investigation revealed that CES is not currently providing the expected services.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9:
A: The appropriate authority assesses Resource Connect’s current state of operations to identify its readiness to provide the expected services in a user-friendly, timely manner, that reduces the long waitlists currently in place.
F10:
Lack of housing makes it difficult for individuals to successfully graduate out of Shelter Solano, Inc. into permanent housing as required by the Housing First Delivery Model used in Solano County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10:
A: To successfully address homelessness in Solano County requires that the county and cities work together to secure housing in their respective communities.
F11:
Ongoing delays in the completion of the dining hall has impacted Shelter Solano, Inc.’s ability to operate at capacity and contributes to the rising number of individuals living unsheltered.
Related Recommendations (1)
R11:
Continue working towards the projected June 2022 completion date to ensure Shelter Solano, Inc. can operate at full capacity.
F12:
Direct observation and feedback received during Shelter Solano, Inc. site visit revealed shelter maintenance has been neglected.
Related Recommendations (1)
R12:
A: Adoption of a Regional Service Delivery model in Solano County that stabilizes funding to consistently meet operational needs.
F13:
Direct observation, document review, and feedback during the Solano County Civil Grand Jury investigation revealed gaps in service delivery along the entire continuum of services.
Related Recommendations (1)
R13:
A: The county secures a comprehensive independent assessment across the continuum of homeless services to include: • leadership • level of collaboration among stakeholders • funding • how services are accessed • quality of services provided • measurement of outcomes • mechanism to ensure accountability • transparency of reporting
F14:
A document review conducted by the Solano County Civil Grand Jury revealed discrepancies and inconsistent accounting and reporting practices among the entities providing services to the homeless in Solano County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R14:
A: Entities use a consistent reporting mechanism for the awarding of funding to keep the community informed and assured that the money is being spent effectively and as intended.
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– Solano County needs a countywide approach to Emergency Management to coordinate emergency planning and response activities before, during, and after a major disaster or emergency incident.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Consolidate all existing Solano County emergency management, planning, and prevention services into one Department of Emergency Management, providing an umbrella to coordinate existing county and city functions related to emergency and disaster events.
F2:
- There is a need for a coordinated city and countywide evacuation plan for Solano County.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2a:
– Develop compatible evacuation zones and routes throughout the county.
R2b:
– Create public awareness of evacuation zones and routes. COMMENT 1 - With the economy badly damaged by the COVID pandemic, those searching for solutions to address the emergency needs of our community need to look beyond new taxes, which could exacerbate the already fragile personal financial health of many Solano County residents. There are state and national financial sources for emergency prevention and preparedness which the County must thoroughly explore and implement first. Solano County must seriously consider hiring dedicated grant writers to provide the necessary funding to address emergency needs. Our neighbor, Sonoma County, faced similar issues and has hired grant writers whose work has since been instrumental in funding most of the changes and improvements to its emergency safety measures. COMMENT 2 - More wildfires will occur locally in areas that cross district and city boundary lines. In interviews with fire chiefs, the Solano County Civil Grand Jury heard “Predictable is preventable” and “Someone has to be the parent.” As local rural fire districts struggle to maintain equipment and keep training current for volunteers and professional firefighters, their situations impact all areas of the county. With every new city annexation, the rural fire district losing the annexed area also loses property tax revenues. Although each affected fire district receives mitigation payments at the time of annexation, it will face a loss of regular income once those have ceased. A Solano County Department of Emergency Management, including dedicated grant writers, would take the lead in clarifying responsibilities between agencies and look for a long-term solution, using grant funds as appropriate to support the process. COMMENT 3 - During an evacuation or a significant highway disruption, residents rely on the ability to move out of a dangerous area. Well-designed, safe roadways are essential to the process. In Solano County, several roads serve as alternate routes between cities when Interstate 80 is not available or has limited access, including Jepson Parkway and Columbus Parkway. As cities approve new developments along sections of those roads, the developers and cities reach agreements about the deadlines for completion of needed roadway improvements. Cities vary in their expectations. While some areas of these roads are improved early in the construction phase, other sections are not scheduled for improvement until a significant number of housing units are 8 completed. The Solano County Civil Grand Jury heard specific concerns in 2022 about traffic safety on Vanden Road near Canon Road, in Fairfield, and Columbus Parkway between Regents Park Drive and Benicia Road, in Vallejo. As the region moves to improve evacuation plans, jurisdictions should pay increased attention to deadlines for completion of these impacted roadways so the routes can handle traffic during an emergency.
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– In 2019, the City of Vallejo purchased the former State Farm Insurance building at 400 Mare Island Way specifically for the new location of the Vallejo Police Department. The cost of the move continues to rise as the city continues to delay the move.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1A:
– Vallejo City Council take the steps they need to relocate the police department.
R1B:
– The city seeks and applies for federal and state infrastructure grants to pay for retrofitting the chosen building to meet the needs of the police department.
F2:
–Current police headquarters has deteriorated and is inadequate for the city’s needs. The building has been neglected for too long. Continually repairing the current facility is not a fiscally responsible policy.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2A:
– The city needs to move the police department as soon as possible to a location that will help ensure a well-run police department in Vallejo.
R2B:
– Since the proposed JFK Library site is not ADA compliant, the city must find a new facility that guarantees access to all.
F3:
–A significant portion of the existing Vallejo Police Department building at 111 Amador is no longer useable because of asbestos and lead contamination. The City is spending thousands of dollars quarterly to pay for testing and cleanup of areas contaminated with asbestos and lead. In addition, after each rain, the building floods and the city has to send in a crew to address water damage as well as the removal of mold.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Relocate the Vallejo Police Department as promptly as possible.
F4:
– In 2008, the city of Vallejo filed for bankruptcy and cut its police force by about half. The police department is still understaffed. Although the Police Chief has initiated a stronger recruiting effort, the working conditions in the Amador facility prove to be a deterrent to successful recruiting. The current building has been described as “deplorable” by city officials and others who have toured the facility. The Amador Street structure is a deterrent to the department’s ability to attract and hire new employees.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4A:
– Relocate the police department to provide a more attractive, healthy working environment, which will enhance recruitment efforts.
R4B:
– In addition to moving the Police Department to a new building, Vallejo seek funding through federal and state grants to augment the pay for police officers.
F5:
– The Amador building is an inappropriate environment for the CARE Center’s work.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– The CARE Center continue to provide services at the 400 Mare Island Building, where the environment is separate from the business of the police department. It is a trauma-centered, calming environment for victims, primarily children, seeking help. COMMENTS The general public and those agencies investigating the Vallejo Police Department have continuously called for transparency. Frustrations mount when resistance is encountered: that resistance to providing information has exacerbated the distrust and animosity that some members of the public have toward law enforcement in Vallejo. Unfortunately, the Solano County Civil Grand Jury, while conducting investigations this term, encountered a significant amount of resistance to transparency from the Vallejo City Attorney’s Office.
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– There will not be enough electric vehicle charging stations in Solano County to support the State’s goals for electric vehicles identified in Executive Order N-79-20.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1:
– Solano Transportation Authority (STA) Board members commit to programs to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in their jurisdictions at a rate sufficient to meet Executive Order N-79-20.
R79-20:
target of 100 percent light-duty ZEV sales by 2035, as well as other key climate and air quality goals. C. Solano County The CEC data show that at the end of 2020, Solano County had 5,139 light duty ZEVs on the road, 99.8% of which were EVs. In 2021, the number of EVs increased by 2,074 to a total of 7,213 EVs. The total number of shared public and private chargers in Solano County at the end of 2020 was 471. The Assessment Report modeling process resulted in projections of infrastructure needed to support nearly 8 million ZEVs by 2030, and is the trajectory needed to achieve the Executive Order N-79-20 target of 100 percent light-duty ZEV sales by 2035. The graph below shows, by year, the projected needs for chargers in Solano County for the years 2020 through 2035. As noted above, the number of public and shared private chargers in Solano County at the end of 2020 was 471. This is significantly fewer than the projected need of 1,648. 25000 22535 20738 20000 18820 16760 14778 15000 12612 10876 10000 9094 7493 6250 5020 5000 3949 3266 2559 2062 1648 0 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 Source: CEC and National Renewable Energy Laboratory 1. Solano Transportation Authority The Solano Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors includes one county supervisor and the mayors of all seven cities in the county. In 2015, the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) received a grant from the California Energy Commission to prepare the Solano Electric Vehicle (EV) Transition Program. The goal of the program was to identify and overcome barriers to the deployment of electric vehicles in Solano County. STA contracted with consulting firms, ICF in Sacramento and Fehr & Peers in Walnut Creek, to prepare the report which recommended several solutions to overcome barriers to the adoption and use of EVs. These included: - public outreach and education, - establishment of common “trailblazing” signage to point drivers to existing charging stations. - a streamlined permit process for installing charging stations, - 10 - sregrahC fo rebmuN Solano County Chargers Needed by Year Year The report also included analysis of potential future charging station locations throughout the county based on predicted vehicle numbers and on the existing charging station network at that time. It was designed to create guidance for the transition to EV usage tailored to Solano County, based on regional conditions. Many maps and charts of charging station locations (as of 2017) and recommended future locations were included as well as clarifications of a variety of steps that could be taken to improve the county’s EV readiness. On April 11, 2018, the STA Board adopted the Solano EV Program Final Report. The 2018 Report is still available on the STA website (STA.ca.gov), and although the link on the STA website is titled “Solano EV Program Final Report” the report itself is labeled as Draft. Interviews with STA staff conducted by the Civil Grand Jury confirmed that it is final. When viewed online, the reader can connect to information via web links to building codes and permitting departments. Some of the links in the Report are no longer valid. a. Public Outreach and Education Activity One stated goal of the STA EV Transition Program is to make it easier for those who want to own an electric vehicle to find resources and places to charge. The SolanoEV.org website was created as part of the EV Transition Program with the intention of being a primary resource related to electric vehicles for local governments, installers, site owners, and drivers. This website was created in 2018, but is no longer accessible. STA does not have direct authority to enforce measures in the EV Transition Plrogram. The Civil Grand Jury found that not all cities are using this plan for its intended purpose. b. Trailblazer Signage Activity Another goal of the Report was to site potential locations for trailblazer signs. As part of their contract for the report, Fehr & Peers identified 76 potential locations in which to deploy trailblazer signs directing drivers to charging stations in each of Solano County’s seven cities. They also provided to STA a document that detailed all sign and mounting specifications required for installation. The plan was to have some trailblazing signs installed before the end of May 2018. As of 2022, there is no evidence of progress on that goal. c. Streamlining Permit Activity Recognizing the important role of the permitting and inspection process in the expansion of charging infrastructure in the state, California legislators passed a law in 2015 requiring local governments to streamline the permitting process. AB 1236 required communities with populations greater than 200,000 to adopt ordinances that expedite the permitting process for EV charging stations by September 30, 2016. As the only jurisdiction in Solano County meeting this population minimum, the Solano County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance on September 13, 2016, adding section 26 to Chapter 6.3 - Building Standards and Codes of the Solano County Code to provide an expedited permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations. All other jurisdictions were required to adopt an ordinance by September 30, 2017. AB 970 was adopted in 2021 and added specific binding timelines to review periods defined in AB 1236. The required ordinance must include specific streamlining elements. Local governments must provide a permitting checklist; installation projects that meet all requirements on the checklist must be eligible for expedited review. In addition to developing streamlined procedures, permitting offices must provide the permitting materials on the government’s website and must allow for electronic submittal of the application materials online. There are a number of templates for the required ordinance and permitting checklist available online. Not all Solano County jurisdictions have complied with AB 1236 requirements. A review of The Permitting Olympics webpage sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development shows that only Solano County is completely streamlined. Although not listed on the webpage, Benicia is also fully streamlined. The City of Fairfield has adopted the required ordinance, and has indicated it is in the process of completing a checklist with publication anticipated by the end of May 2022. No other cities have met the requirements of AB 1236. 2. Grant Writing STA has developed a partnership with a vendor, Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions, Inc. to provide turnkey installation of charging stations in the county. One area of expertise mentioned in the Civil Grand Jury’s interview with STA personnel which made this company appealing is its grant writing ability. There are a number of grant opportunities and incentives available from utility companies, Air Quality Management Districts, and other agencies. Successful grant writing can be time consuming, and city staff members do not always have sufficient time to undertake this facet of EV charger installations. V. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FINDING 1 – There will not be enough electric vehicle charging stations in Solano County to support the State’s goals for electric vehicles identified in Executive Order N-79-20. RECOMMENDATION 1 – Solano Transportation Authority (STA) Board members commit to programs to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in their jurisdictions at a rate sufficient to meet Executive Order N-79-20. FINDING 2 – In 2018, the STA adopted an Electric Vehicle Transition Program (EVTP) and the website (solanoev.org) for Solano County The website is no longer working which is of no value; the EVTP is no longer current, minimizing its value and applicability. RECOMMENDATION 2 – STA update the EVTP and its website (solanoev.org) to provide accurate and current information for Solano County residents. FINDING 3 – In the 2018 EVTP, the STA Board approved a plan to install trailblazing signs to identify locations of electric vehicle charging stations. As of 2022, there is no evidence of progress on that plan. RECOMMENDATION 3 – STA Board work with jurisdictions and agencies to install signage denoting the location of existing charging stations and to include appropriate signage as a component of future installations. FINDING 4 – The 2018 STA EVTP was intended to serve as regional guidance for the transition to electric vehicles, but this guidance has not been effectively communicated. RECOMMENDATION 4A – STA increase staff time available for implementation and oversight of the Electric Vehicle Transition Plan. RECOMMENDATION 4B – STA add dedicated grant writing staff to bring this function in-house rather than relying on third-party vendors. FINDING 5 – AB 1236 and AB 970 require all California cities and counties to develop an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations. Not all jurisdictions in Solano County have complied. RECOMMENDATION 5 – All Solano County jurisdictions comply with streamlined permitting requirements, including adoption of an ordinance and checklist as required by AB 1236 and AB 970. REQUIRED RESPONSES Solano County Board of Supervisors (Findings 1 and 3) Cities (Findings 1,3, and 5): Vacaville Vallejo Suisun City Rio Vista Dixon Fairfield Solano Transportation Authority Board (All Findings) COURTESY COPIES Pacific Gas & Electric Company Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions, Inc.
F2:
– In 2018, the STA adopted an Electric Vehicle Transition Program (EVTP) and the website (solanoev.org) for Solano County The website is no longer working which is of no value; the EVTP is no longer current, minimizing its value and applicability.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– STA update the EVTP and its website (solanoev.org) to provide accurate and current information for Solano County residents.
F3:
– In the 2018 EVTP, the STA Board approved a plan to install trailblazing signs to identify locations of electric vehicle charging stations. As of 2022, there is no evidence of progress on that plan.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– STA Board work with jurisdictions and agencies to install signage denoting the location of existing charging stations and to include appropriate signage as a component of future installations.
F4:
– The 2018 STA EVTP was intended to serve as regional guidance for the transition to electric vehicles, but this guidance has not been effectively communicated.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4A:
– STA increase staff time available for implementation and oversight of the Electric Vehicle Transition Plan.
R4B:
– STA add dedicated grant writing staff to bring this function in-house rather than relying on third-party vendors.
F5:
– AB 1236 and AB 970 require all California cities and counties to develop an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations. Not all jurisdictions in Solano County have complied.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– All Solano County jurisdictions comply with streamlined permitting requirements, including adoption of an ordinance and checklist as required by AB 1236 and AB 970.
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– Some residents of the county are not aware of the full range of services provided by their local waste disposal service provider.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
- Recommend cities have a prominent link on their website that lists services provided by their local waste disposal service provider along with contact information.
F2:
- The cities within Solano County each have varying strategies that are not currently being shared. Sharing best practices among jurisdictions is itself a best practice.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2A:
- Promote coordination between the cities in Solano County to share their issues and solutions for the illegal dumping issue within the County.
R2B:
- Establish regular, ongoing communication amongst Public Works and Public Safety departments to share illegal dumping cleanup solutions. COMMENTS REQUIRED RESPONSES (ALL FINDINGS) Solano County Public Works Director City of Benicia Public Works Director City of Fairfield Public Works Director City of Rio Vista Public Works Director City of Suisun City Public Works Director City of Dixon Public Works Director City of Vallejo Public Works Director City of Vacaville Public Works Director COURTESY COPIES Solano County Board of Supervisors
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
– The 2020 U.S. Census data will result in redistricting, which will require remapping. Currently only one ROV staff member has mapping experience.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– The ROV hire a staff member with mapping experience.
F2:
– The State of California was late sending the Voter Information Guide to Solano County voters which resulted in some citizens of Solano County voting before having access to the Guide.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– The ROV coordinate with the California Secretary of State to ensure state Voter Information Guides are delivered before the county mails ballots to voters.
F3:
– ROV management was reluctant to terminate the employment of under-performing temporary workers with concerns that the time-consuming hiring process might result in not having sufficient staff to handle the workload.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– ROV coordinate with the Department of Human Resources to streamline the process of hiring temporary ROV workers.
F4:
– The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) is a non-profit organization with the sole mission of assisting states in improving the accuracy of voter rolls. California has not joined ERIC.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– The Solano County ROV coordinate with other county ROV’s to encourage the State of California to become a member of ERIC. COMMENTS This year’s requirement that ballots be mailed to all voters did not present a challenge for the ROV. The Civil Grand Jury members were impressed with the integrity and attention to detail that the ROV personnel displayed. The ROV staff demonstrated high regard for transparency, the individual’s right to vote, and the accuracy of the process.
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
– Isolation brought about by COVID-19 lockdowns caused unexpected mental and physical health issues.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– In full compliance with CDC protocols, Solano County Division of Public Health be available to assist facilities in putting stringent screening protocols in place to protect residents once visitors are allowed to enter the facilities.
F2:
– Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, and other healthcare employees need more training in infection control techniques including personal protection equipment use.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2a:
– If requested by the facilities, Solano County Division of Public Health provide support for improved staff training as well as on-going mentoring.
R2b:
– If authorized by the State, Solano County Division of Public Health support the state’s efforts to establish a system for monitoring the implementation of California State Assembly Bill 2644.
F3:
– Staff members have not been properly trained in implementing proper infectious disease protocols.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Upon request, Health and Social Services work with skilled nursing facilities to ensure that new and existing staff undergo continual training in federal and state prescribed infectious disease safety protocols.
F5:
– Ombudsman staff did not visit the Skilled Nursing Facilities in Solano County from March 16, 2020 through August 31, 2020.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– The Administration of the Division of Public Health has indicated that the Ombudsman staff can request and receive a waiver during lockdowns to safely enter SNFs. In light of this, Ombudsman staff request a waiver and continue to visit Skilled Nursing Facilities. COMMENTS It is concerning that during a pandemic such as the one we are currently continuing to experience, local county agencies have such limited authority in keeping the vulnerable residents in nursing home facilities safe. It would be advantageous for the county, state and cities to work together to apply the laws and regulations that have been put in place to protect this population.
Additional Recommendations
6
Not linked to specific findings.
R4:
– When requested by the facility, Solano County Division of Public Health establish and continue to provide more stringent screening protocols of all staff .
R30-39:
years 2x higher 4x higher
R40-49:
years 3x higher 10x higher
R50-64:
years 4x higher 30x higher
R65-74:
years 5x higher 90x higher
R75-84:
years 8x higher 220x higher Source of information: CDC Website Nine licensed nursing homes are located in Solano County. These skilled nursing facilities (SNF) provide ongoing and extended nursing care to its residents. The residents of these homes are typically elderly and vulnerable to infectious diseases due to underlying chronic medical conditions. The high number of deaths in the Windsor Vallejo Care Center sounded the alarm that the elderly in nursing care facilities were at higher risk than the rest of the county’s population. Solano County Division of Public Health administrators expressed their surprise that the mortality rate wasn’t significantly higher. They specifically cited the lack of infection control procedures, lack of training, staff turnover and lack of use or lack of proper use of PPE as contributing factors to the outbreak. In the fall of 2020, Parkrose Gardens of Fairfield and Magnolia Court in Vacaville experienced a rise in deaths due to COVID-19. Although they are congregate living facilities, not skilled nursing home facilities, the deaths do point to the fragility of our older populations living in group settings. The primary concern was determining how COVID-19 was introduced into the facilities. Early on, little was known about the transmission of the disease so protocols such as social distancing and use of PPE were not in place. Once case investigation and contact tracing was implemented, it was determined that the staff was introducing COVID-19 into the nursing homes. Prior to Covid-19, staff members were not required to use PPE on a regular basis. As a result, staff may not have been trained on proper use or may have been complacent since PPE protocols were not part of their regular routine. The COVID-19 pandemic created an environment where PPE use is required at all times to mitigate the spread of disease. Inexperience in the use of PPE and lack of training in proper usage were significant issues. Consequently, on May 11, 2020, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) began requiring skilled nursing homes to implement strong infection prevention and control programs to protect the residents and healthcare personnel. One of the primary challenges for nursing homes has been adequate staffing for patient care. CDPH requires 3.5 direct nursing care service hours each day for each patient in SNFs. Several issues came to light as Solano County nursing homes tried to implement the health safety guidelines set forth by the California Department of Public Health. The unexpected COVID regulations overwhelmed some of the care centers as they strived to provide personnel with the necessary PPE. Once they obtained the proper equipment, it became apparent that many of the staff did not know how to use the PPE appropriately. High turnover rates did not allow time for proper training and evaluating skill sets of employees. Staff in skilled care facilities are underpaid so retaining trained employees has been difficult and has led to a shortage of experienced personnel. As of January 1, 2021, Assembly Bill (AB) 2644 requires all SNFs to: • have a plan in place for infection prevention quality control • ensure all healthcare professionals (HCPs) receive infection prevention and control training on an annual basis • have a full-time Infection Preventionist (IP) on staff to make recommendations and implement policies within the facility for infection control CDPH will maintain oversight powers of the implementation of the Bill. Lockdowns in SNFs pose a risk to the residents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social isolation and loneliness significantly increase the risk of premature death. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), “there has been a thirty-two percent increase in the risk of stroke, and a nearly fourfold increased risk of death among heart failure patients” due to social isolation. This risk is on par with smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. Social isolation is also associated with a 50 percent increased risk of dementia. Depression plays a large part in the mental well-being of these patients. Residents are losing whole support systems including their friends with whom they sit in the dining hall or see in activities. There are limited entertainment opportunities since such activities would not allow social distancing nor would it allow outsiders into the facilities. In addition, families have not been allowed to visit. It is not unusual to see news stories relating incidences in which families were not able to be at the bedside of their loved ones as they pass away because of the mandated lockdown precautions. The CDPH licenses all skilled nursing facilities in the state of California. It provides regulatory oversight of “licensed health care facilities and health care professionals” to ensure patient safety and quality care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDPH has provided guidelines for isolating infected patients, isolating new patients and establishing quarantine protocols for improving patients. The Solano County Division of Public Health serves the community by promoting health. In addition to providing other health-related services, it monitors hazardous health issues and prepares for public health emergencies. Although the Solano County Division of Public Health works with and assists SNFs whenever a communicable disease outbreak occurs, they have no direct jurisdiction over nursing home operations. However, they do have the authority to close facilities to new admissions when disease is suspected. They can also limit admissions if the facility is not in compliance with CDPH guidelines. Solano County Division of Public Health monitors COVID-19 protocols in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. The County can also provide stricter guidelines than the State if local conditions require which it did at the onset of the pandemic. CDPH guidelines have become stricter and are now in line with Solano County guidelines. There are many unlicensed elder care residences in Solano County. Neither California Department of Public Health nor Solano County Division of Public Health (SCDPH) have oversight of these congregate living sites. The SCDPH can, however, offer assistance if an unlicensed nursing home contacts them. It also has the authority to step in if there is a positive COVID-19 case found. Approximately two dozen unlicensed facilities have sought assistance through the SCDPH directly. The SCDPH holds regularly scheduled virtual meetings with licensed healthcare facilities to provide updated healthcare information. Participation is open to all county facilities including those that are unlicensed. When COVID-19 outbreaks are identified in a congregate setting, including licensed nursing homes, the SCDPH offers testing to residents and staff members. This testing will be ongoing until no new cases are identified over a fourteen-day period. In March of 2020, the Governor declared a state of emergency in California and issued a stay-at- home order. The order precluded any direct contact with the residents of these facilities. CDPH and county health officials were allowed to enter the facilities for testing purposes. The role of the Ombudsman’s Office is to address complaints from residents and the families of residents within licensed long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing homes. During the lockdown, the Ombudsman staff members were prohibited from visiting facilities due to an order from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. If there were complaints, the office would arrange for virtual visits to address the concerns received. In California complaints for April, May and June dropped 60% compared to January, February and March due to the lack of in- person contact with the Ombudsman representatives. Although the Ombudsman do not serve as inspectors, the Division of Public Health Services informed the Grand Jury that it had the authority to deputize the Ombudsman staff so they would be authorized to enter the SNFs during the pandemic. V. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FINDING 1 – Isolation brought about by COVID-19 lockdowns caused unexpected mental and physical health issues. RECOMMENDATION 1 – In full compliance with CDC protocols, Solano County Division of Public Health be available to assist facilities in putting stringent screening protocols in place to protect residents once visitors are allowed to enter the facilities. FINDING 2 – Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, and other healthcare employees need more training in infection control techniques including personal protection equipment use. RECOMMENDATION 2a – If requested by the facilities, Solano County Division of Public Health provide support for improved staff training as well as on-going mentoring. RECOMMENDATION 2b – If authorized by the State, Solano County Division of Public Health support the state’s efforts to establish a system for monitoring the implementation of California State Assembly Bill 2644. FINDING 3 – Staff members have not been properly trained in implementing proper infectious disease protocols. RECOMMENDATION 3 – Upon request, Health and Social Services work with skilled nursing facilities to ensure that new and existing staff undergo continual training in federal and state prescribed infectious disease safety protocols. FINDINGS 4 – Evidence provided by health professionals indicates staff brought COVID-19 into facilities. RECOMMENDATION 4 – When requested by the facility, Solano County Division of Public Health establish and continue to provide more stringent screening protocols of all staff . FINDING 5 – Ombudsman staff did not visit the Skilled Nursing Facilities in Solano County from March 16, 2020 through August 31, 2020. RECOMMENDATION 5 – The Administration of the Division of Public Health has indicated that the Ombudsman staff can request and receive a waiver during lockdowns to safely enter SNFs. In light of this, Ombudsman staff request a waiver and continue to visit Skilled Nursing Facilities. COMMENTS It is concerning that during a pandemic such as the one we are currently continuing to experience, local county agencies have such limited authority in keeping the vulnerable residents in nursing home facilities safe. It would be advantageous for the county, state and cities to work together to apply the laws and regulations that have been put in place to protect this population. REQUIRED RESPONSES Solano County Division of Public Health Administration Health and Social Service Administration Ombudsman Administration
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
– Solano County’s Fire Protection Districts are critically understaffed, under equipped, and underfunded to protect rural areas and adjacent cities from this season’s wildfires and future wildfires.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Solano County and the Solano County Local Agency Formation Commission support immediate funding for the four FPDs.
F2:
– While LAFCO is bringing expert advice to the table to determine the path forward to address the increasing danger from wildfires, the pace at which it is going is too slow to address immediate wildfire concerns.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– LAFCO and Solano County separate the more immediate concerns of wildfire exposure and address those with urgency.
F3:
–Transitional financing is needed to equip the FPDs with new equipment and resilient firefighting techniques to adapt to the environmental changes now presented by the combined challenges of extreme heat, drought, and gale force winds along with random power outages.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Solano County immediately make resources available to the FPDs to deal with the new wildfire environment. COMMENTS Solano County has not accepted responsibility for protecting outlying areas from the yearly fires. Without active intervention by the county, addressing fire issues has been glacially and tragically slow.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– Child Welfare Services has a workforce turnover rate negatively affecting the performance of the agency and outcomes for the children of Solano County.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
– Fill allocated Social Worker positions and employ additional support staff for Child Welfare Services.
R1b:
– Provide cross-training to staff members to maintain all services at all times.
F2:
– Retention of Child Welfare staff is difficult due to the complex, demanding, and emotionally challenging responsibilities, exacerbated by limited support from supervisors.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Provide time and replacement staff for managers and supervisors to receive area-specific management training to improve staff emotional and procedural support.
Findings and recommendations not yet extracted.
Findings & Recommendations
1 findings
F1:
– Solano County elected a Sheriff-Coroner and employs ninety Deputy Sheriffs. Currently, only forty are trained as Deputy Sheriff-Coroners to perform the duties of Deputy Coroner, limiting the availability of trained Deputies.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Solano County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office establish a timeline to train all deputies to perform the duties of Sheriff-Deputy Coroner. COMMENTS The Solano County website link to the Sheriff-Coroner’s Office needs to be updated with current information. Solano County should re-address the benefits of having a full-time forensic pathologist. A full - time pathologist may provide continuity of service and increase the level of confidence in the community, with investigators and the Sheriff-Coroner’s staff.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
– After the county selected Option C in February 2021 as the method for Solano County residents to access state and federal emergency rental assistance, the county neglected to sufficiently support that decision with adequate staffing and timely resources.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1A:
– Before accepting responsibility from the state for a new, time-limited program, the BOS confirm that realistic, adequate, and knowledgeable internal and contracted staffing will be provided along with support plans to ensure program success.
R1B:
Solano County carefully consider the implications of a divided state/county program when they take on a support program. Among other requirements, choose programs aligned at all government levels in qualifications, timelines, and benefits.
F2:
- During the first six months of Solano County ERAP, two critical county staff transitions occurred without sufficient transfer of legacy information from the exiting employee to the new person.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2A:
- County Departments develop written and oral communication systems that include supervisors when a program manager is replaced. Human Resources should confirm these systems.
R2B:
- Before an employee who is part of a special project leaves the county or project, have the computer “shared drive” information reviewed to see if there are unclear or incomplete files before the transition occurs.
F3:
- Technology continued to be a problem throughout ERAP implementation, delaying needed assistance.
Related Recommendations (6)
R3A:
- All technology issues be addressed and resolved by stakeholders before program implementation.
R3B:
- When choosing software for a task, the county understand the needs of the program being implemented before selecting a software vendor. 14
R3C:
- When working with a software vendor to implement a new program, confirm with all stakeholders using the product that necessary components of the software are available. All previous information needed for future reference by the program user be seamlessly migrated to the new system.
R3D:
- When a new software system is required to implement a program with a flexible start date, allow sufficient time for complete field testing and training of all potential users before “going live.”
R3E:
- The county value the contractor’s researched request for a specific software product.
R3F:
- DoIT be consistently involved with users of new software.
F4:
- ERAP program materials, including software forms, were not initially translated into Tagalog as mandated by the contract.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4A:
- Ensure that all required translation materials are in place by the start of a program.
R4B:
- During program implementation, ensure all materials, including software forms, are available in languages and formats to meet access needs.
F5:
- Solano County’s agreement with Catholic Charities about the scope of work changed without mutually acceptable written amendments or modifications.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
- When a contract with an outside agency is signed, any future modifications about deadlines and service changes should be negotiated and signed before implementation of the modification. This could require a review by the county of its contract process.
F6:
- County staff mistakenly applied regulations and deadlines related to ERAP federal funding.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
- Staff responsible for a specific program be educated about all aspects of the program and continue to monitor and communicate changing regulations.
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– Although districts have an explicit locked door policy to ensure student security, it 189 is not uniformly enforced. 190 191
F2:
– Camera placement varies from site to site with some areas having no coverage. 195 196
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Schools should obtain more cameras to increase the scope of coverage to 197 increase students' safety. 198 199
F3:
– The majority of schools have a "single point of entry" process which benefits the 200 safety of the community and students. 201 202
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– The single point of entry process be adopted by all of the public schools 203 in Solano County. 204 205
F4:
-RAPTOR and Envoy systems are used to identify any person entering schools and to notify staff. These programs are limited to a few schools. 206 207 208
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– All schools be equipped with these or similar programs to prevent the 209 access of undesirable persons. 210 211
F5:
– Some schools have areas such as a wellness center/quiet/calming corners for 212 students to access where they can regain focus and composure. 213 214
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– All schools establish a calming/refuge area with dedicated mental health staffing available for students. 215 216 217 COMMENTS 218 219 Solano County school districts have utilized COVID-19 funds effectively to ensure the safety 220 and well-being of students and staff. 228
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– VCUSD has lost over $36 million of revenue over four years due to the unusually high rate of student transfers.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1A:
– The VCUSD Board of Trustees revise Board Policy 5117 and Administrative Regulation 5117 to reduce the number of transfers.
R1B:
– The VCUSD Superintendent work with the Solano County Office of Education to comply with the policies regarding appeals relative to student transfers.
F2:
– The number of student transfers negatively affects the quality of education in VCUSD due to decreased funds for staffing, professional development and instructional supplies/materials. -4-
Related Recommendations (3)
R2A:
– VCUSD Superintendent establish a Community Task Force to evaluate the implications of transfers and to identify solutions to declining enrollment.
R2B:
– VCUSD Superintendent conduct a curriculum audit to determine how to optimize the academic performance of the students attending VCUSD.
R2C:
– VCUSD Superintendent utilize the transfer data in the budgeting process for staffing and facilities. VI. COMMENTS The 2019-2020 Solano County Civil Grand Jury has concerns about the revenues lost and the impact of that loss on current students and staff, as well as the community perception of VCUSD. The District has a long history of struggles, both financial and academic. Community perceptions and opinions of VCUSD may improve if it finds a way to stem these financial losses and implement cutting-edge curriculum taught by highly-qualified staff in well-maintained, state-of-the-art facilities. VCUSD leadership, management, staff, students, families and community members would benefit by articulating common goals to reverse the enrollment decline. Every VCUSD student, regardless of race, gender identity or socio-economic status deserves the very best education possible so they can be successful, contributing citizens. District collaboration with a Community Task Force could facilitate establishment of a plan for revitalizing the District and its schools in the near future. REQUIRED RESPONSES (ALL FINDINGS) VCUSD Board of Trustees VCUSD Superintendent COURTESY COPIES Superintendent of Schools, California Department of Education Superintendent of Schools, Solano County Office of Education
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– The streets in downtown Rio Vista are too narrow to accommodate parking on both sides of the street and still allow for two-way traffic. This creates a situation where one vehicle must back up to the end of the street to allow safe passage for oncoming vehicles.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
–Limit these streets to one-way traffic. or
R1b:
– Restrict parking to only one side of the street.
F2:
- The alleys in downtown Rio Vista are used for both business and residential access. Many of these alleys are in poor condition and in need of maintenance.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Conduct routine inspections of the downtown alleys and perform maintenance as needed.
F3:
– The alleys in downtown Rio Vista are not identified by name or number creating difficulty for emergency services, such as fire, police, and ambulance, to respond to emergencies in a timely manner.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Develop and implement a plan to identify by name or number all alleys.
F4:
– Rio Vista has put its firefighting equipment at risk by failing to repair the downtown alley that serves the fire department.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– Initiate and complete the funded alley maintenance project.
F5:
– There is no established process for managing complaints regarding the condition of Rio Vista streets and alleys, making it difficult for the general public to know the status of repairs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Establish a functional complaint process to include acknowledgement of the receipt of the complaint and to communicate a schedule for correction of the issue.
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
- The recruiting system relies on having numerous candidates in only one facility from which to select.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– CDCR and Cal Fire expand their recruitment system to find more potential trainees from other correctional facilities, such as county jails.
F2:
– The requirement for fluency in English has negatively impacted the program.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– The county jail systems provide English language education opportunities for inmates to increase communication skills thereby increasing the number of viable candidates for the program. COMMENTS Legislators need to research the effects and consequences of any proposed legislation. Their research should include consultation with the agencies affected by any potential legislation. Assembly Bill 109 (the Prison Realignment Act) and Proposition 47 (the Reduced Penalties for some Crimes Initiative) have had a negative impact on the fire camp population, limiting the potential number of candidates. The Delta Camp concept provides two exceptional assets for the State of California: reduced recidivism and a trained firefighter force. These assets need to be protected.
Findings and recommendations not yet extracted.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
– Agencies’ completion and filing of the Statement of Facts Roster of Public Agencies Form in Solano County, in many instances, are inconsistent, incomplete, inaccurate and out-of-compliance with Government Code section 53051. Review of 111 of the most current Forms (regardless of age) on file with the County revealed the following: a) Seventy-two agencies had a single Form on file, many dating back three decades. This represented 65% of the sampled Forms. b) Sixty-eight agencies’ Forms were aged nine years or more, representing 61% of the sampled Forms. c) Thirteen Forms (12%) listed a P.O. Box as the official mailing address despite filing instructions indicating that a street address must be given. Update NOTE: 12/2019 updated instructions now state that a P.O. Box is acceptable. d) The actual legal name of the entity was inconsistent in nine instances (8%). e) Thirty-eight Forms (34%) did not meet the regulatory reporting timeframe. f) Accuracy of board membership could not be independently verified on seventy-one Forms (64%). g) The current status of the agency could not be validated in forty-eight instances (43%).
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Approving legislative bodies in Solano County should provide guidance and training to ensure the accurate completion and filing of the required Forms. Consideration can be given to the following points: a) Suggest that governing bodies of public agencies begin to immediately use the Registry of Public Agencies Form (SF-405) available on the Secretary of State’s website (See Appendix A). Process Improvement – County Clerk’s Office devise and implement a process for agencies to complete and save the SF-405 Form and send it to a specified County email address for filing. Encourage the County Clerk’s office to work with the Secretary of State Special Filing Unit to establish a mechanism to electronically transmit the Forms to the State. This process will have minimal impact on the County Clerk’s Office and would ensure that County and State records are consistent. b) Upon commencement of the agency’s legal existence the approving legislative body direct the newly formed agency’s clerk and/or secretary to complete the initial filing within the 70-day requirement. c) Ensure the training provided by the approving legislative body directs the newly formed agencies to file subsequent updates within the required 10-day timeframe.
F2:
– Comparative analysis of the most current Forms on file with the State to those on file with the County revealed 92 exceptions representing instances in which: a) The County Form does not match the State Form. b) The Form is on file with the County but not with the State. c) There is no Form on file with the County but there is one on file with the State.
Related Recommendations (3)
R2:
Agency Information a. Full Legal Name of Public Agency b. Nature of Update (complete if Updated Filing) d. Official Mailing Address c. County
R2a:
– Agency governing bodies ensure accurate and timely compliance by simultaneously filing updated forms to the County and State.
R2b:
– If the agency submits its information electronically or by mail, a copy of the submission should be retained as a business record to prove compliance.
F3:
– There is no comprehensive list of public agencies operating in Solano County that is accessible to residents.
Related Recommendations (3)
R3:
Chairperson, President, or Other Presiding Officer a. Name b. Title c. Business or Residence Address
R3a:
–The County Board of Supervisors, Clerk of the Board, County Administrative Office, and local City Councils collaborate to compile an accurate listing of public agencies, boards, commissions and committees within Solano County using the existing Online Local Appointment Database maintained by the County.
R3b:
– The County Board of Supervisors, Clerk of the Board, County Administrative Office, and local City Councils review
F4:
– There is currently no requirement for an agency to maintain a website, making it difficult to access current information online. However, since 2013 there has been a movement in the State to make information available and searchable online.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– Individual Solano County Agencies improve their transparency by establishing a website and keeping it current to benefit both agencies and citizens of the County. REQUIRED RESPONSES (ALL FINDINGS) Solano County Treasurer-Tax Collector-County Clerk Solano County Board of Supervisors Benicia Mayor and City Council City of Suisun City Mayor and City Council Dixon Mayor and City Council Fairfield Mayor and City Council Rio Vista Mayor and City Council Vacaville Mayor and City Council Vallejo Mayor and City Council COURTESY COPIES Solano County Administrative Officer California Secretary of State APPENDICES
F5:
Other Members of the Governing Board (Enter as many as applicable. Attach additional pages for additional members.) Name Business or Residence Address Business or Residence Address Name Name Business or Residence Address Name Business or Residence Address Business or Residence Address Name
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
Other Members of the Governing Board (Enter as many as applicable. Attach additional pages for additional members.) Name Business or Residence Address Business or Residence Address Name Name Business or Residence Address Name Business or Residence Address Business or Residence Address Name
F6:
Date and Sign Below (Additional members set forth on attached pages, if any, are incorporated herein by reference and made part of this Form SF-405, Registry of Public Agencies.) Date Signature Type or Print Name SF-405 (REV 12/2019) 2019 California Secretary of State Print Form bizfile.sos.ca.gov Clear Form Instructions for Completing the Registry of Public Agencies (Form SF-405) The governing body of a public agency is required, within 70 days after the commencement of the agency's legal existence, to file a specified statement of facts about the agency with the Secretary of State. This information is also required to be updated within 10 days of a change to it. Fees:
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
Date and Sign Below (Additional members set forth on attached pages, if any, are incorporated herein by reference and made part of this Form SF-405, Registry of Public Agencies.) Date Signature Type or Print Name SF-405 (REV 12/2019) 2019 California Secretary of State Print Form bizfile.sos.ca.gov Clear Form Instructions for Completing the Registry of Public Agencies (Form SF-405) The governing body of a public agency is required, within 70 days after the commencement of the agency's legal existence, to file a specified statement of facts about the agency with the Secretary of State. This information is also required to be updated within 10 days of a change to it. Fees:
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
– Enterprise System Catalog - The County created an enterprise system catalog by the due date of July 1, 2016 in compliance with Government Code section 6270.5. It was completed and posted on the County’s website in a location accessible to the public. However, the subsequent annually updated files had not been posted to the website.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Annual review procedures need to be amended with the requirement to post the updated enterprise system catalog to the County’s website.
F2:
– County Assessment and Taxation System Project – This is the replacement project for the Solano County Integrated Property System. The project has a $10 million reserve set aside and presents significant risk and expense to the County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– DoIT Project Manager monitor the Project Plan deliverables, timelines, and activities relating to budget status and any changes in anticipated staffing needs. Provide regular status reports to the Board of Supervisors and stakeholder departments.
F3:
– System and Data Recovery – At the time of this report, the comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plan outlining processes, procedures and resources was incomplete. DoIT management disclosed improvement was needed in this area and they were addressing at the onset of the review.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– The CIO and senior staff continue to thoroughly review and update plans to ensure they are up-to-date and routinely tested. Documentation should completely outline processes, procedures and resources to be used in case of a major disaster occurring in the vicinity of the data centers causing them to be inaccessible. This will be an essential tool in the effective operation of Solano County government in case of a major regional disaster event. REQUIRED RESPONSES (ALL FINDINGS) Solano County Department of Information Technology Chief Information Officer COURTESY COPIES Solano County Administrative Officer Solano County Board of Supervisors Solano County Auditor-Controller Solano County Assessor/Recorder Solano County Treasurer-Tax Collector-County Clerk
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– The unfunded portion of the City of Vacaville’s CalPERS pension plans liability increased from $126 million in 2011 to $209 million in 2019. This amount is categorized as high- risk by the California State Auditor. The unfunded OPEB liability as of June 30, 2019 exceeded $80 million.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1:
Achieve and maintain intergenerational equity
R1a:
– The City of Vacaville establish an annual contribution schedule to retire the unfunded liabilities over a 10- to 15-year period.
R1b:
– The City of Vacaville apply for American Rescue Plan Act funds to make additional contributions towards reducing pension and OPEB liabilities.
F2:
– The City of Vacaville’s current employment benefits packages are unsustainable and offer benefits exceeding those provided by other California cities with similar population and home values.
Related Recommendations (3)
R2:
Update the City’s applicable policies that would manage the municipal finances wisely: a. Continue to use the collective bargaining mechanism with individual labor groups to control costs while also offering a level of financial compensation and benefits that will attract and retain quality employees b.Incorporate flexibility and discretion so not to stifle innovation and creativity
R2a:
– The City of Vacaville use an independent facilitator to negotiate all labor contracts.
R2b:
– All labor negotiations should address unfunded pension and OPEB liabilities.
F3:
– The City of Vacaville has no control over healthcare premium rates set by CalPERS, hindering the city’s ability to contain healthcare costs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– In future labor negotiations with Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees, the City of Vacaville convert to a defined contribution healthcare benefits model.
F4:
– The Vacaville City Council dismissed the OPEB advisory committee, without taking any action, limiting the effectiveness of the oversight process.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– The Vacaville City Council re-establish the OPEB advisory committee and act on the recommendations made by the prior committee.
F5:
– Unfunded pension and OPEB liabilities remain a concern for Vacaville citizens because they directly affect the quality of public services provided to residents as well as the future financial stability of the city.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– The Vacaville City Council take actions to ensure that issues affecting pensions and OPEB liabilities continue to be reviewed regularly and publicly.
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R6:
An outside labor negotiator should be consulted, who has experience in working with cities that are making, or have made, a similar paradigm shift, to renegotiate Tiers 1 and 2 so they might be integrated into Tier 3, with fixed dollar contributions by the city and enhanced with HSA/HRA accounts
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
In many cases, wastewater effluent is not used to supply industrial needs or to irrigate crops and public lands.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
Wastewater treatment facility decision-makers consider, on an ongoing basis, if additional treated water can be used to replace current water supplies.
F2:
The Benicia and Dixon wastewater treatment plants release methane directly to the atmosphere, which could be used as fuel for co-generation.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
Explore options to capture methane released by wastewater treatment, such as generating electrical power.
F3:
Not all wastewater treatment plants utilize renewable sources of electrical power.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
Consider solar and wind power as alternative energy sources. 9
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– Addressing COVID-19 and future public health safety threats in county buildings will require additional investment in strategies that mitigate and prevent future infections.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
- Solano County lobby state and federal governments for funding to research, identify, and implement proactive health safety strategies in county buildings.
R1b:
– Solano County Departments network to research, identify, and recommend strategies that promote, improve, and enhance public health safety in county buildings.
F2:
– HDQ Neutral is a spray and air-dry surface sanitizer that can be harmful to public health if applied and not allowed to dry completely before coming into contact with humans.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Train all county employees who prepare and spray HDQ Neutral on its proper dilution, use, and required drying time before allowing public contact with any treated surfaces. COMMENTS County Departments should be commended for being able to continue the business of operating county government as effectively as possible during the pandemic.
Findings & Recommendations
1 findings
F1:
– Aumentum Technologies delivered a project plan and schedule in November 2020 assuming responsibility for completion of data conversion and implementation activities. The project plan and schedule are subject to changes over time and require diligent monitoring by key stakeholders.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1A:
– County project team leadership and end users continue to actively monitor critical deliverables, target due dates, and utilize communication protocols.
R1B:
-Particular attention should be focused on data mapping and conversion and user acceptance testing.
R1C:
- The county devote sufficient resources and time to ensure affected personnel are trained to uniformly use and understand the new system.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings and recommendations not yet extracted.
Findings & Recommendations
1 findings
F1:
- Security cameras play a critical role in safety at the three high schools by recording and monitoring student activity throughout the campus.
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– The Solano County In-Home Supportive Services program has failed to meet minimum state standards for quality assurance, quality improvement and anti-fraud efforts for four or more years. The root cause of this persistent failure of regulatory compliance results from a lack of effective program oversight and management by the Solano County Department of H&SS and the ODAS office in particular. There is a prevailing practice of regulatory non- compliance as an operational norm.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– The Solano County Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Officer hold Health and Social Services Department management personnel, particularly within the ODAS office, accountable for IHSS program compliance.
F2:
–Solano County’s IHSS program management and compliance oversight functions have failed to achieve minimum objective measures of program integrity over the last five years due to the lack of effective use of H&SS departmental resources.
F3:
– The Solano County Department of Health and Social Services’ welfare fraud investigative unit, the Special Investigations Bureau, has been precluded from participating in In- Home Supportive Services program fraud investigation and prosecution by H&SS departmental policy and budget decisions.
Related Recommendations (2)
R3a:
– The Special Investigations Bureau be transferred to the District Attorney’s Office.
R3b:
- The current ‘Purchase of Service Agreement for Investigation of Welfare Fraud’ between the Solano County H&SS Department and the D.A.’s Office be rewritten to specifically include investigation and prosecution of IHSS program fraud.
F4:
– IHSS provider time cards continue to be a significant source of potential fraud. The electronic IHSS provider electronic time card has been adopted by Solano County but is not mandatory.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– The Solano County Public Authority require that the IHSS electronic time card is a condition of employment for all providers. Granting of the power of proxy second signatures to the IHSS electronic time card should be limited to instances that meet the legal standard requiring a notarized power of attorney for a financial transaction.
F5:
– Health and Social Services Department management stated that its primary concern is IHSS Program sustainability and quality of services rather than program integrity and regulatory compliance. 12
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Program integrity and regulatory compliance be the primary focus of H&SS management to ensure IHSS program sustainability. COMMENTS The 2017-2018 Solano County Grand Jury shares the concerns of the Solano County Department of Health and Social Services management regarding IHSS program sustainability, but we feel strongly that the ultimate basis for community support is taxpayer confidence that the program is well managed and compliant with state requirements. H&SS Department efforts to combat fraud, waste and abuse within the program must be aggressive and transparent.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– Members of Solano Animal Control Authority (SACA) indicated concern with the contract and lack of cooperation from Humane Animal Services (HAS) in providing appropriate fiscal information.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
- SACA, the contracting party, review, renegotiate and rethink the existing contract. SACA send out requests for proposals to find an agency that provides appropriate fiscal information.
F2:
– Licensing is the law, not a choice. All interviewed enforcement agencies admitted that implementing licensing laws is a low priority.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Law enforcement agencies review policies and ensure that pet owners are aware of and follow the state, county and city regulations.
F3:
– Animal Care/Animal Control services in Solano County are not consistent or easily accessed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– The cities in Solano County develop a communication system that connects all responding agencies and allows citizens to access needed assistance with a single call.
F4:
– There is no effective program in Solano County to ensure animal license enforcement and compliance.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
- The cities and the county collaborate on a plan to address license enforcement and compliance.
F5:
- Veterinarians are the first line of defense in addressing the health and safety of family pets, yet there is no effort to create a collaborative program to ensure that pets in Solano County are licensed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Solano Animal Control Authority (SACA) work with the Napa Solano County Veterinary Medical Association to create a program to increase the number of licensed animals in Solano County. COMMENTS Depending on pet owners to voluntarily license their pets has proven to be ineffective. The county and the cities within the county need to: A. Create a method that allows for consistent licensing applications throughout the county. B. Develop public educational programs on the importance of pet licensing. C. Enforce existing laws. REQUIRED RESPONSES (ALL FINDINGS) Solano County Animal Control Authority (SACA) Solano County Sheriff’s Department Administrators Benicia Police Department Administrators City of Suisun City Police Department Administrators Dixon Police Department Administrators Fairfield Police Department Administrators Rio Vista Police Department Administrators Vacaville Police Department Administrators Vallejo City Administrators COURTESY COPIES Humane Animal Services (HAS) Administrator Napa Solano County Veterinary Medical Association Humane Society of the North Bay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
– City Code Enforcement Departments generally seek voluntary code compliance.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Cities continue instituting fines as a last resort to achieve compliance.
F2:
– The majority of municipal code enforcement is reactive rather than proactive and relies on citizens to report suspected code violations.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2a:
– Municipal Code Enforcement officers become more proactive in identifying and educating the public on code violations (i.e. Coffee with Code Enforcement).
R2b:
– Work with refuse companies to inform the public of additional programs.
F3:
– City of Benicia does not have a fine schedule for Municipal Code violations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– City of Benicia adopt a fine schedule as an incentive for compliance.
F4:
– City of Vallejo has a pamphlet, “Neighborhood Resource Brochure” detailing resources for citizens to refer to concerning code enforcement issues.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– City Code Enforcement officials of all cities consider developing a comprehensive brochure using Vallejo’s “Neighborhood Resource Brochure” as a prototype to better inform citizens of available resources. COMMENTS To understand the level of blight, in all manifestations within Solano County, the 2017-2018 Grand Jury toured its cities. Though the Grand Jury understands there are many different forms of blight, the cities establish basic standards through municipal codes and code enforcement; ordinances are developed periodically to meet new environmental concerns, urban sprawl, and ever-changing societal issues. During these tours, incidents of possible municipal code violations were discovered: sidewalk encroachments, garbage cans in view, abandoned vehicles/boats/motorhomes, debris (appliances, mattresses, furniture, shopping carts, etc.) unsightly entrances to cities, partially and/or abandoned buildings, human waste, needles in children’s parks and on and on. Code enforcement officers are limited by time and budget constraints. This is where citizens need to be vigilant in watching for/cleaning up and/or reporting possible code/ordinance violations. Pride in your neighborhood and city is fundamental as there is no doubt that disorder in public spaces is a visual sign of decay forcefully sending messages about neighborhoods. Cities can also ensure that street/alley/sidewalk markings for construction purposes be removed after completion. National Night Out, the community/police awareness raising event held annually across America on the first Tuesday of August, may be the one item that can help communities work toward the social issues of blight. Local police, fire departments, and code enforcement officers continually emphasize its importance and send representatives to attend National Night Out events. The following photographs are just a few examples of blight situations in our neighborhoods:
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings and recommendations not yet extracted.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
– Assessment Appeals Board - The Solano County Grand Jury finds a regular pattern and practice of repeated assessment appeals initiated by a few large commercial property owners that extends for many years. This pattern has resulted in the County incurring significant defense costs and ongoing fiscal opportunity losses amounting to millions of dollars.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1a:
- Since the primary basis of the pattern of appeals is an annual claim that the value of their commercial property is but a fraction of the assessors’ current and previously mutually agreed to valuations, the problem is evidentiary. The AAB’s established rules and procedures be strictly applied to these cases in order to encourage a timely and rational resolution of valuation questions.
R1b:
- The AAB take steps to expedite the assessment appeals process and limit the granting of waiver agreements under Rule 10 of the Local Rules. Similarly, written requests for postponements and continuances must show good cause for a postponement under Rule 25 of the Local Rules.
R1c:
- The Board of Supervisors, County Counsel and Chair of the AAB take all available measures to obtain relief from the regular pattern of repeated, prolonged appeals that expose Solano County to unnecessary risk and potential financial loss.
F2:
– Solano County Integrated Property System (SCIPS) Replacement Project - SCIPS is an aging application using unsupported, outdated software with limited technical resources. Platform updates are expensive and disruptive. A multiyear replacement project has been authorized and a $10 million reserve fund created. The vendor product currently recommended by the stakeholders is not fully in production in California. Delay in replacing the current system puts the County at operational and financial risk due to the dwindling viability of SCIPS.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– County project team in the SCIPS replacement program continue to monitor the installation in Southern California. Based on results of that installation, the County’s options be revised if necessary. Upon final system selection, it is imperative for the Solano County stakeholders to work together closely to implement the installation, testing, security and training on a new integrated property system for end users.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
– The Solano County Civil Grand Jury found that local law enforcement agencies comply with the statutory requirements when providing training. However, bias training is only required and conducted every five years. Local law enforcement administrations agreed there is too much time between training sessions.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– County law enforcement agencies adopt a more frequent schedule of diversity and bias training over and above the current five-year requirement.
F2:
– Most law enforcement administrations identified lack of adequate funding as an impairment to providing additional and/or more frequent training.
F3:
- More under-represented people need to be represented in decision making roles.
F4:
– California Penal Code section13651(a) states: “Every police department, sheriff’s office, or other entity that employs peace officers shall review the job description that is used in the recruitment and hiring of those peace officers and shall make changes that emphasize community-based policing, familiarization between law enforcement and community residents, and collaborative problem solving, while de-emphasizing the paramilitary aspects of the job.” All administrators mentioned the general population’s lack of trust of law enforcement officers.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4a:
–Ensure that training de-emphasizes a paramilitary approach to policing.
R4b:
– Use a collaborative approach with community organizations to problem solve.
F5:
– For some Law enforcement agencies employee turnover is an issue.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5a:
– Suisun City increase the length of its employment contract to five years.
R5b:
– Law enforcement agencies find ways to achieve pay equity in the county to limit turn over in smaller communities.
F6:
– There are reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that extremist groups are infiltrating law enforcement agencies. While local law enforcement agencies investigate applicants as part of the vetting process, they rely on employee and citizen complaints to identify current staff social media postings for extremist ideology.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F1:
– The general public is unaware of all the programs, services, and special events that SCLS has to offer.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– SCLS create an Outreach and Marketing Team/Crew consisting of representatives from each library branch.
F2:
– SCLS has currently partnered with several schools to implement the use of the Student Access Card program.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– SCLS expand the Student Access Card program to all schools in the county.
F3:
– SCLS lacks the necessary data collection mechanisms to measure the effectiveness and attendance of programs and services offered specific to individual libraries.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– SCLS refine data collection mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of current programs and patronage at the branch level.
F4:
– The visibility of the Dixon Library and the Vallejo Springstowne Library is inadequate for foot and street traffic.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– SCLS increases the visibility of the Dixon and Springstowne Library locations with external signage.
F5:
– The City of Vacaville is planning changes to parking in downtown Vacaville, potentially decreasing the spaces used by Vacaville Town Square Library patrons in the immediate vicinity of the library.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– SCLS works with the City of Vacaville and other stakeholders to ensure sufficient, safe, and dedicated parking spaces for library patrons in the immediate vicinity of the library.
F6:
- The SCLS Facilities Master Plan, nine site visits, and interviews revealed a variety of maintenance, compliance, and safety issues. a. Five locations have HVAC operating issues warranting replacement. (Springstowne, Vacaville Town Square, Vacaville Cultural Center, Dixon, and John F. Kennedy) b. Two locations have ADA compliance issues including non-compliant public restrooms (Dixon), a broken elevator, and entrances impeding accessibility (John F. Kennedy). c. Three locations have water intrusion problems, [e.g., leaks in roof and dampness]. (Dixon, Rio Vista, and Vacaville Cultural Center) d. Four locations have miscellaneous maintenance issues such as: electrical system and internet connectivity (Springstowne); air filtration in the building (Dixon); broken lights (Fairfield Cordelia); and poor parking lot lighting (Suisun City).
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
– SCLS leadership coordinate with appropriate library stakeholders1 to address maintenance, compliance, and safety issues. This includes obtaining funding and establishing a timeline for completion.
F7:
- Updated Registry of Public Agencies forms for the Dixon Public Library District and Vacaville Unified School District/Library District have not been recorded with the Secretary of State and the County Clerk per Government Code section 53051.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
– The governing boards of the two special districts comply with Government Code requirements for timely and accurate reporting of changes. COMMENTS 1. SCLS would benefit from creating an improved communication system, so all branches are working in unison, operating with the same information, and understanding of goals, mission, and vision. 2. All branches need enhanced marketing using internal and external communications. Library patronage would likely increase if the county residents were aware of all the resources the SCLS has to offer. Additionally, the community would have benefitted from broader marketing of the supportive services put in place in response to COVID-19. 3. If there was one upside to the pandemic, SCLS experienced an increase in digital circulation after years of trying. With such a vast array of online programs and services available for all ages, SCLS should look to find ways, such as an Outreach Team, to inform Solano County residents of all that the County libraries have to offer. 4. Due to another Covid surge in January 2022, SCLS issued a statement on its website homepage stating: “For the health and safety of library users and staff, all indoor programs/classes/trainings have been temporarily suspended at all branch locations through February 15, 2022. Indoor programming will resume February 16, 2022.” However, in- person visits were allowed at this time, which was not clearly communicated on the website, causing some confusion. Appropriate Stakeholders – include SCLS, Solano County Board of Supervisors, building owners, governing boards & commissions, municipalities, Library Special Districts, and Unified School Districts. 5. Small libraries like Rio Vista, Springstowne, and Dixon have done a remarkable job of keeping up with services within their space limitations. 6. Early in our review, the SCLS website information about governance, especially for those branches with their own Special District status (Dixon and Vacaville) was difficult to find and not transparent. It was difficult to find minutes, budgets, and MOU information quickly on any website. In the case of Dixon, the minutes posted were very sparse and did not contain sufficient supporting documentation. However, during the course of the Civil Grand Jury’s review, SCLS began updating this information. We anticipate that SCLS will maintain the accuracy of the information in the governance sections of their website moving forward.
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
- There is no clear detailed accounting structure that allows tracking Measure P dollars from collection to expenditure for specific purchases or programs, resulting in a lack of transparency to the public.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
- Develop a system to track Measure P dollars from collection to disbursement so that the public can easily see how and where these funds are applied.
F2:
–Most Measure P progress reports distributed to the public are based on interim budget data, and revenue projections, which can potentially confuse the public.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
- Enhance public transparency and consistency by directing the Fairfield Taxpayers Committee to base any reporting on actual year-end data rather than forecast data.
F3:
– The Fairfield Taxpayers Committee requests information from the City Finance Department to prepare public reports. There is no established process for City staff to verify that the information is presented accurately before publication.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– The City establish a protocol to validate the accuracy of financial data before it is published by the Fairfield Taxpayers Committee.
F5:
– The Fairfield Taxpayers Committee qualifications specify that prospective members should be taxpayers, but “taxpayer” is not defined.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Amend Resolution No. 2013-31 to define “taxpayer.” REQUIRED RESPONSES (ALL FINDINGS) Fairfield Mayor Fairfield City Council COURTESY COPIES Clerk of the Solano County Board of Supervisors Chair of the Fairfield Taxpayers Committee
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– A Notice of a Joint Powers Agreement and Amendment of a Joint Powers Agreement form along with a copy of the full text of the joint powers agreement and amendments has not been recorded with the California Secretary of State as required by Government Code §6503.5.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– SACA Board comply with Government Code requirements to file applicable, accurate documents with the California Secretary of State and ensure any updates are also provided to applicable agencies.
F2:
– A Statement of Facts Roster of Public Agencies Filing form has not been recorded with the Secretary of State and County Clerk per Government Code §53051.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– SACA Board comply with Government Code requirements to file applicable and accurate documents with the California Secretary of State and Solano County Clerk.
F3:
– Rules governing the composition of the board members, a specified term, and a provision for the removal of a director have not been established.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– SACA establish bylaws/rules about how its board will be configured, specified terms, and provision for the removal of a director.
F4:
– As of 2017, SACA does not have a specific individual appointed as the Treasurer of the JPA as required by Government Code §6505.5.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– SACA Board comply with Government Code requirements to designate a Treasurer of the JPA to perform the applicable tasks listed in the code.
F5:
– SACA does not have adequate operational controls nor oversight to ensure accurate and timely filing of required documents, organized retention and access to records.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– The Board designate a combined Treasurer/Operations Officer position to administer activities and meet reporting requirements. The Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement calls for the reimbursement of the operational cost of a Treasurer of the JPA. Establish an up-to-date website with contact information, agendas, minutes, audit reports, rosters, and other pertinent information to house records. COMMENTS The SACA Board consider a bylaw provision that allows for removal of Board Members at only specific times (term) or for specific reason. Each member agency select an appointee who has decision-making authority and given adequate time to perform the duties. Candidate pools should not be limited to a specific department. Recommended selections include: City Managers, Senior Finance Officers, City Treasurers, Council Members, or Senior Law Enforcement Officials. The participation of elected officials or very high-level management in this position is likely to lead to more commitment from the agencies, a broader level of knowledge and comfort with the entities decisions and ultimately more stability for the JPA.
Findings & Recommendations
9 findings
F1:
The SFJC is not meeting its Mission Statement and is not performing as a one- stop-shop for victims, adding stress to an already stressful situation.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
Aggressively pursue additional on-site partners to provide the comprehensive services needed by domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
F2:
The building currently housing the Solano County Family Justice Center is inadequate and its location is unknown to many residents.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
SFJC develop a plan to procure a more appropriate and better located facility to house the SFJC. Increase publicity to identify how services for victims can be accessed.
F3:
The SFJC work environment is not consistent with trauma-informed care, affecting the quality of services provided to victims.
Related Recommendations (2)
R3A:
Provide all SFJC staff with additional training in understanding the statutory requirements of an FJC, discrimination issues, and trauma-informed care.
R3B:
The SFJC should clearly define the manager’s role in managing both county employees and employees of on-site partners.
F4:
Public transportation to get to the Solano County Family Justice Center in Fairfield is unnecessarily challenging for those victims outside Fairfield.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4A:
SFJC establish and fully staff an office in Vallejo.
R4B:
The SFJC make arrangements with ride share companies to provide safe, free, and efficient door-to-door services throughout the county.
F5:
Most County law enforcement agencies are aware of services provided by the SFJC but would welcome training by SFJC to make them more aware of what services are provided.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
SFJC Director develop and implement a training program to better inform county law enforcement agencies of the services provided.
F6:
The SFJC is not fiscally neutral, and the non-profit foundation established to help achieve that goal, SAJE, is neither robust nor performing as envisioned in the strategic plan and has no online presence.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
SAJE improve its ability to achieve SFJC financial stability.
F7:
The SFJC Operations Manual does not adequately explain how the SFJC will comply with the statutory requirements of Penal Code sections 13750-13753.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
SFJC review and revise the Operations Manual to clearly address statutory requirements including, but not limited to, the establishment of a mandatory training program, designation of a privacy officer, and establishment of a formal client feedback, complaint, and input process.
F8:
The SFJC Operations Manual defines both an Advisory Committee and an Administrative Team, but no meeting frequency is identified for either; no requirements for general staff meetings are included in the Operations Manual.
Related Recommendations (2)
R8A:
SFJC hold regularly scheduled meetings of both the Advisory Committee and the Administrative Team to improve communication among staff and management.
R8B:
SFJC have regularly scheduled full staff meetings.
F9:
Solano County’s Health and Social Services Department offers services and has resources similar to those offered by the SFJC.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9:
The Board of Supervisors initiate a study to determine if the transfer of the SFJC from the District Attorney’s Office to the Department of Health and Social Services would result in providing more efficient and effective services to victims in Solano County. COMMENTS The SFJC facility is a secure building. Its operating hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. Individuals entering the building are verified, screened, and provided with an access badge and escorted inside.
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
Employees considering a second job or outside activity for compensation or other personal gain, must have prior approval from the employee’s supervisor in order to rule out any conflict of interest. There is no evidence to ascertain whether the City of Fairfield enforces this policy.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
Create a Personnel Action Form for the employee to submit to their supervisor for advance written permission to take a second job, especially where that second job might be influenced by the employee’s current position with the City. Place the form indicating the final decision in the employee’s Official Personnel File. Documentation in lieu of verbal approval or denial would support the objective of the policy and protect the City and employee from any perceived presumption of wrongful conduct.
R1b:
Remind employees annually in writing of the policy regarding moonlighting and other business activities.
F2:
The City of Fairfield fails to ensure that required Form 700s are submitted and filed according to the California Political Reform Act and City regulations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
Follow-up to ensure all required Form 700s are submitted in accordance with the California Political Reform Act and City regulations.
F3:
Form 700s are not reviewed by City officials to ensure that employees do not engage in any business or transaction that would have a financial or personal interest which could impair the employee’s independence or judgment in the performance of their official duties.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
Review and evaluate Form 700s to determine whether the content contains information which could be interpreted as a conflict of interest.
F4:
The completed Form 700s are placed in the City Clerk’s office drawer by year of filing, making it difficult to locate and determine if the required 700 is actually on file.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
Place a copy of the Form 700 in the employee’s Official Personnel File, whether the form is manually filed or e-filed.
F5:
Several sections of the City’s current Administrative Policy Manual are incomplete and inaccurate. Information provided to new employees is lacking in accuracy and refers to the Administrative Services Department and the Director of Administrative Services which are non- existent. In its current form the Manual cannot be totally relied upon by employees. It is further lacking in detail to protect the public and the City from potential conflict of interest activity by its employees.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5a:
Correct, update and expand the Administrative Manual (issuance date of August 9, 2010) to include present policies, at a minimum: Chapter 100 – Administration Section 4 – Code of Ethics for City Employees Section 5 – Conflict of Interest Statements Chapter 200 – Administrative Services Section 1 – General Purpose Section 5 – New Employee Processing
R5b:
Provide the revised Policy to the employees and post on-line. COMMENTS Grand Jury feels strongly that employees receive up-to-date and specific guidelines and procedures they can rely on, and there is oversight of those policies. Other inconsistencies in the Administrative Policy Manual were noted beyond those specifically addressed in the Findings and Recommendations.
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
– Emergency service communication is fractured throughout Solano County and puts the Solano County residents and residences at risk.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– The County should install a uniform and consistent communications system that connects all emergency services.
F2:
– The Vallejo Dispatch Center reported 911 call processing times for Fire and Police far longer than every other agency in the County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– Identify and correct issues to bring average call processing times in line with other County dispatch centers.
F3:
– There is a general acceptance among emergency service providers in the County to the idea of a consolidated dispatch center.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
– Solano County Board of Supervisors should approve and begin the implementation of a consolidated dispatch center
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
– The City of Fairfield’s Annual Asset Seizures Reconciliation Procedures do not include verification to a control balance to confirm that the General Ledger balance is accurate. This lack of verification results in the inability to ensure that asset values have been protected and preserved.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
– Upon completion of the annual audit of outstanding balances in the Asset Seizures Holding Account, the City effectively coordinate with the Solano County District Attorney’s Office (DA) to track balances for cases currently being adjudicated to ensure that balances match.
F2:
– The FYE 2020 annual audit spreadsheet reflects a single unresolved, cumulative debit balance of $5,452.73 as of June 30, 2004. New debit balances totaling $2,802.80 are outstanding as of FYE June 30, 2020, resulting in an overall $8,255.53 debit total. This potentially indicates either an overpayment from, or mis-postings to, the Asset Seizures Holding Account.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
– The cause of the large outstanding debit balances must be researched and resolved or charged off as a loss.
F3:
– The 2020 annual audit reflects many aged outstanding balances. There are 71 entries totaling $61,509.06 aged 6 to 16 years. Forty-four of the 71 are a decade or more old. There are at least 35 instances of outstanding balances on cases where assets were noted as returned (13) or forfeited (22).
Related Recommendations (3)
R3a:
– The City of Fairfield Finance Department undertake a detailed review of all aged outstanding balances and work with the DA’s office to identify DA case numbers to facilitate comparison with the annual AG report.
R3b:
– Research the City’s GL for possible posting of reversing entries to incorrect GL account(s) and, if identified, process correcting entries.
R3c:
– Consult with the DA to determine if there are any circumstances in which unclaimed balances meet the statutory requirements for administrative forfeiture and distribution.
F4:
– The 2020 Fairfield annual audit of the Asset Seizures Holding Account shows 42 outstanding balances totaling $145,342.42 aged five years or less. At least eight of these cases exhibit the same exception attributes as those in the aged category associated with balances on cases where the asset status is noted as returned and/or forfeited.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
– Undertake a detailed review of all outstanding balances aged 0-5 years and work with the DA’s office to determine DA case numbers to facilitate research and resolution to these balances.
F5:
– The 2020 Fairfield annual audit of the Asset Seizures Holding Account has 15 outstanding balances where the Fairfield Police Department case numbers are not clearly identified.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
– Research and identify a valid Fairfield Police Department case number to ensure these balances are associated with an asset seizure. Work with the Solano County DA’s office to determine DA case numbers to facilitate research and resolution to these balances. REQUIRED RESPONSES (All Findings) City of Fairfield Finance Director City of Fairfield Mayor and City Council COURTESY COPIES Solano County District Attorney Fairfield Police Department