Gran Jurado del Condado de Solano

2023-2024

24 informes

Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 4 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 7 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 1 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 2 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 6 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 4 hallazgos
F1: – Not all public school libraries publicize policies and procedures to address how a request to ban a book is implemented.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 6 hallazgos
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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6: Book Banning in Solano County?
Recomendaciones adicionales 1

No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.

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
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 6 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 3 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 3 hallazgos
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.”
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3: – City of Rio Vista officials comply with all required monitoring and reporting requirements by required due date deadlines.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 6 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R6: - Staff responsible for a specific program be educated about all aspects of the program and continue to monitor and communicate changing regulations.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 5 hallazgos
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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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

Hallazgos y recomendaciones aún no extraídos.

Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 5 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R5: – The Vacaville City Council take actions to ensure that issues affecting pensions and OPEB liabilities continue to be reviewed regularly and publicly.
Recomendaciones adicionales 1

No vinculadas a hallazgos específicos.

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
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 2 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 1 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 6 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 7 hallazgos
F1: – The general public is unaware of all the programs, services, and special events that SCLS has to offer.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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).
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 4 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 5 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 9 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 5 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 3 hallazgos
F1: – Emergency service communication is fractured throughout Solano County and puts the Solano County residents and residences at risk.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (1)
R3: – Solano County Board of Supervisors should approve and begin the implementation of a consolidated dispatch center
Hallazgos & Recomendaciones 5 hallazgos
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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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).
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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.
Recomendaciones relacionadas (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