Stanislaus County Grand Jury
2013-2014
Findings & Recommendations
11 findings
F1:
account. Regarding the issue of overpayment, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has a cap on how much a Director can make. The Director's salary is below that cap. The Director is in charge of seven other counties, as well. This complaint was found to be unsubstantiated.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Complainant and other residents served by this irrigation pipeline were strongly encouraged to consider the options presented and discussed at the OID Water Commission meetings.
F2:
Although the union did not have a contract, they were given a 2 % pay increase, which was half a percent less than they had been seeking. The pay increases that managers received were due to an added work load after a fourth manager left and that position wasn't filled. The three remaining managers were given additional duties to make up for the loss of the fourth manager. This complaint was found to be unsubstantiated.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
OID staff, the Complainant and other residents involved were encouraged to meet together to discuss which option would specifically provide a minimum of property damage, yet also provide a permanent solution to the leaking irrigation pipeline, in a cost effective manner.
F3:
The HA's Attorney negotiated on behalf of the HA with regards to the Director's employment contract. The attorney represented the HA, not the Director. This complaint was found to be unsubstantiated.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
OID staff needed to provide all residents involved with a written timeline for the repair to occur, once funding became available. RESPONSES The responses and actions taken by OID were:
F4:
The trips and events in question are training conventions that various HA sanctioned associations host for the national housing authorities. The conventions are designed to give commissioners and directors useful information that should be taken back to the local HA divisions. This complaint was found to be unsubstantiated. Evidence supports that the HA did in fact violate the Brown Act. At a rescheduled
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The county should set up a replacement/capital outlay fund for the purchase of all county vehicles. RESPONSES The summarized responses from the SCBOS/GSA were:
F5:
meeting, this SCCGJ committee witnessed firsthand the HA's process for such an event. The HA had posted the notice to reschedule the public meeting on their website and inside the lobby of the HA building. This posting was not visible to those arriving to the meeting, which was scheduled for after business hours. 2013-2014 Stanislaus County CGJ Final Report
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
Adhere to the proposed June 2013 closure of the Honor Farm, if possible.
F6:
The use of temporary employees is governed by the US Department of HUD and the union contracts in place at the HA. Although the HA does use temporary employees to its advantage, there was no evidence that the HA had violated any laws. This complaint was found to be unsubstantiated.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
With regards to the Men's Jail, accelerate any proposed renovations or planned new construction for a combined jail/courthouse facility. RESPONSES The summarized responses from the Stanislaus County Sheriff/SCBOS were:
F7:
It was confirmed through several sources and the Director that there was a manager who did bring a pet to work.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
The HA should change its policy to not allow pets in the HA building.
F8:
The HA has now assigned a manager to make the deposits. Both the Director and the Finance Manager made the change as a result of safety concerns.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8:
None Probation Department/Juvenile Institutions
F9:
Although the HA building was secure and employee files were locked each night, the client files were not. Anyone with access into the building could steal personal information found in the files. File storage rooms also did not have a keyed lock for access.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9:
The HA should change its policy about the handling of clients' personal information to include the requirement that clients' files be kept in a locked vault or locked filing cabinets at all times. Request for Response from: The HA Director The HA Commissioners Part 4: Case 14-04C: Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department 2013-2014 Stanislaus Civil Grand Jury Case #14-04C Policy and Compliance Report on the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Helicopter COMPLAINT This complaint was generated through three separate sources. First, a citizen's complaint was referred from the 2012-2013 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury (SCCGJ) concerning use of the Sheriff's helicopter. Second, several articles appeared in the local newspaper raising reasonable concerns about the correct use of County vehicles operated by the Sheriff's Department. Third, the complainant filed an addendum complaint questioning the use of the Sheriff's helicopter as a silent auction item for the local Hospice organization.
F10:
The facility is clean and well maintained, and staffed with personnel who are highly motivated to help juvenile inmates. The SCCGJ was very impressed with the current staff.
F11:
Current vocational programs are outstanding and very educational.
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R65-74:
5 14 2 2 75+ 22 TOTALS 45 7 12 0 0 APPLIED VIA: 28 5 8 18 Application Nomination 4 13 2 Random (petit jury list) 4 Occupations of the Prospective Regular Grand Jurors Include: Account Executive Administrative Clerk Parole Agent Administrative Office Assistant Pawn Broker Attorney/Public Defender Physical Therapist Bookkeeper Pharmacist Business owner Police Officer College Professor Programmer/Journalist College Professor/Administrator Property Management/Grocer Commercial Equipment Leasing/Financing Community Services Officer Rancher Contract Specialist Real Estate Broker/Realtor Counselor/Administrator Refrigeration Technician Electrician/Security Alarms Retail Sales School Principal Executive Assistant Secretary/Homemaker Family Services Supervisor Service Mgr. Federal Correctional Officer Services Tech. Xerox Firefighter Front Desk Mgr. Special Education Teacher Storekeeper Glazier HVAC Technician Student Transit Analyst Homemaker Truck Driver Independent Contractor Telemarketing Agent IT Help Desk Clerk Unemployed IT Services System. Mgr. US Forrest Service Librarian US Postal Service Life Insurance Agent Management Maintenance Medical Assistant STANISLAUS COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY Stanislaus CITIZEN COMPLAINT FORM Post Office Box 3387. Modesto, California 95353. (209) 558-7766 County Striving to be the Best GJ OFFICE USE ONLY THIS COMPLAINT IS AGAINST: DATE RECEIVED: Name/Title GRAND JURY CASE NUMBER: Organization COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Address City, State, Zip Code Telephone MY COMPLAINT AGAINST THE ABOVE IS: OTHER PERSONS OR AGENCIES CONTACTED: DESCRIBE THE ACTION YOU WANT THE GRAND JURY TO TAKE: COMPLAINANT Name: Address: City/State Zip Code Home Phone Number Work Phone Number The information in this form is true, correct and complete to the best of my knowledge. Signature Date ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE GRAND JURY ARE CONFIDENTIAL (See back for instructions) 2013-2014 Stanislaus County CGJ Final Report Citizen Complaint Form MISSION STATEMENT: The primary function of the civil grand jury is to provide unbiased oversight and to investigate complaints from citizens about the operations of county and city government, school districts and special districts, as required by law. The grand jury assures citizens that government is operating efficiently and in an ethical, honest manner. The grand jury investigates policies and procedures and makes recommendations to improve local governmental operations. INVESTIGATIONS: The civil grand jury conducts three types of investigations. Mandatory investigations--those that the California Penal Code requires the grand jury to undertake. . Discretionary investigations--those over which the legislature has given the grand jury jurisdiction, but has 0 stated it is not required. Citizen complaints--those complaints within the jurisdiction of the grand jury received from a citizen. The . statutes preclude the grand jury from considering complaints on matters currently before the court, matters that are the subject of litigation, matters involving agencies located outside the county, matters involving privately held companies and matters involving the fiscal and administrative operations of the Superior Court. ACCEPTANCE: Anyone may ask the grand jury to investigate. Whether the jury chooses to investigate such a complaint is entirely in its discretion. Deciding factors include such things as determining if the complaint falls within the jurisdiction of the grand jury, if the facts warrant an investigation, whether the jury has sufficient time to conduct a proper investigation, and if a previous grand jury has already reviewed the topic of the complaint. FINAL REPORTS: The findings and recommendations of those complaints and issues the jury chooses to study are published in a final report. Reports are distributed to public officials and to the community at large through the media, public libraries and the Internet. Statutes require the entities reported on to respond. CONFIDENTIALITY: In all its proceedings and investigations the grand jury is sworn to maintain complete secrecy. The members of the grand jury apply the same objective standard of conduct and responsibility to all persons and entities, and are not influenced by sentiment, conjecture, sympathy, public feelings, passion, or prejudice. TERM OF SERVICE: The grand jury's term of service begins July 1st and ends June 30th of the following year. PROCESS: The grand jury will acknowledge receipt of your complaint. Mail the form to: Stanislaus County Grand Jury, Post Office Box 3387, Modesto, California 95353. ACTION REQUESTED: Please identify the specific problem and describe the circumstances. Present your complaint with all available evidence and submit copies of relevant documents. Attach additional pages if necessary. 2013-2014 Stanislaus County CGJ Final Report
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.