Sutter County Grand Jury
2024-2025
Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F1:
SBRAA is operating and maintaining the Sutter County Airport cost effectively and efficiently resulting in no funding requirements from the General Fund to support the Airport.
F2:
Omitting SBRAA from the annual meetings between FAA and Sutter County has resulted in no airport planning or identified eligible improvements to the Sutter County Airport since 2016.
F3:
The lack of a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Airport Capital Improvement Program (ACIP) plans results in Sutter County Airport being unable to perform expensive capital improvements needed by the Airport in the next three years.
F4:
Not drawing on or using the allowable FAA entitlement funds account has led to $1,500,000 of entitlements funds expiring over 10 years and losing the opportunity to leverage up to $15,000,000 in airport improvements.
F5:
The assumption by County Counsel the grant assurances cannot be met due to non-conforming land uses, without getting clarification from FAA, has led County Counsel to prevent Sutter County staff from accepting or applying for grant funding since 2016.
F6:
Improper procedures on land use changes for the two non-aeronautical leases have led to the violation of grant assurances.
F7:
The lack of transparency between County Counsel, Development Services Department, SBRAA, and the FAA has prohibited the development of a plan to comply with Grant Assurances resulting in no grant-funded improvements to the Airport for more than 10 years.
Additional Recommendations
4
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors direct the Director of Development Services to develop a CIP and ACIP for Sutter County Airport by January 31, 2026.
R2:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors amend the Facilities Management Agreement between Sutter County and SBRAA to allow SBRAA to be partners in developing plans, CIP, and ACIP documentation for Sutter County Airport, including being present for discussions with FAA regarding these documents by March 13, 2026.
R3:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors direct the Director of Development Services to present the CIP and ACIP for the Sutter County Airport to FAA by the next annual ACIP meeting with FAA in April 2026.
R4:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors direct the Director of Development Services to work with County Counsel and the District Attorney to develop a corrective action plan to allow Sutter County Airport to become compliant with grant assurances and eligible to apply for Federal grant funding by December 31, 2026.
Additional Recommendations
7
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools, the Yuba City Unified School District’s Governing Board, and the Franklin School District Board of Directors, adopt a formal and automated traffic incident reporting procedure with reporting automatically sent to and included in Yuba City Police Department’s and Sutter County Sheriff’s Office’s annual traffic incident reports by the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
R2:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends that the Yuba City Council instruct the Yuba City Police Chief to increase enforcement of traffic and off- street parking violations along Butte House Road and Villa Avenue, bordering Tierra Buena Elementary School to the north and east respectively, that occur during the school’s drop-off and pick-up times. A warning may be first issued to parents of the school’s students, but traffic and parking violation enforcement should begin by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
R3:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools, the Yuba City Unified School District’s Governing Board, and Franklin Elementary School District’s Board of Directors adopt a policy requiring all crossing guard employees, or volunteer crossing guards, undergo and maintain certified training for road crossings, including use of proper high-visibility vests and hand-signage, by the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
R4:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Sutter County Board of Supervisors and Yuba City Council adhere to and update relevant local traffic codes to include standardized traffic signage for all schools, including upgrading low-visibility signs to solar powered flashing warning signs placed for oncoming traffic by January 1, 2026.
R5:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors and the Yuba City Council to direct the Sutter County Development Services and Yuba City Public Works respectively, to update maintenance procedures for solar powered school traffic signs to include regular foliage trimming which blocks solar panels used for solar powered signs by January 1, 2026.
R6:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends that the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools and Yuba City Unified School District’s Governing Board apply for “Safe Routes to Schools” grant funds to promote student walking and biking commute to their respective schools.
R7:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors, and the Yuba City Council direct the Sutter County Development Services and Yuba City Public Works’ Director respectively, to conduct and complete “Blue Zone” studies for Yuba City Unified and Sutter County schools to improve community health surrounding those schools by January 2027.
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Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
The Sutter County Grand Jury conducted various analyses based on employee numbers, total budgets, and counties with similar populations. The findings indicate the Sutter County Board of Supervisor (SCBOS) whose current salaries are underpaid by $20,000 annually. This potentially limits the pool of individuals who can afford to serve as Sutter County Board of Supervisor (SCBOS) to retirees, those with other employment or the wealthy. The Sutter County Grand Jury also found during the investigation that being a Sutter County Supervisor is a time-consuming position. Each supervisor is responsible for the Sutter County Budget, responsible for implementing California State and Federal law when starting new projects, maintaining the county’s physical resources and properties. There are close to 1,000 county employees for which they are indirectly responsible for. All five of our supervisors attend many meetings. All five of our supervisors are on special committees of various districts within the county and represent the county of those meetings. Each of our five supervisors are on 16 to 25 committees and are required to be at those meetings to represent Sutter County. Response from the Board of Supervisors:
F2:
Potential contraband drop-off location at Southwest exterior door of the jail. Response from the Board of Supervisors:
F3:
Structural damage within the facility has led to pooling of water into corridor areas posing a risk of slip and fall incidents as well as further structural deterioration. Response from the Board of Supervisors:
F4:
Ineffective cooling system causing potential health risk (e.g., heat-related medical issues). We have since received information at a recent Board of Supervisors’ meeting that the cooling system is being put out for bid to be replaced. Response from the Board of Supervisors:
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Sutter County Board of Supervisors (SCBOS) consider a compensation raise in line with the local economy. The specific amount and method are left to their discretion since they are responsible for the voting on their own compensation. The current take-home pay, after the health insurance package and Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) contribution, is deemed insufficient for the time and effort invested in this role. Fair compensation is essential for the Sutter County Board of Supervisors (SCBOS), reflecting the value of their service to the community. Actions shall be taken before October 31, 2024. Response from Board of Supervisors:
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Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
Sutter County's failure to resolve the problems and deficiencies with its CDBG loans has led to HCD suspending all future federal and state funding application opportunities for CDBG grants that terminates important state and federal funding opportunities for Sutter County.
F2:
Sutter County taxpayers are at risk for not recovering over $900,000 in loan repayments from 17 loan recipients. The $900,000 can be broken down into $665,000 in loan principal and $235,000 in unpaid interest payments.
F3:
The Sutter County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office has multiple legal collection options to secure payment of any outstanding monies owed to Sutter County as stated on their website, however, the Development Services Department staff has not consulted with the Office on possible legal loan recovery options.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends the Sutter County BOS directs the DSD Director to engage the Sutter County Treasurer-Tax Collector to determine the feasibility of collecting these outstanding CDBG funds by September 30, 2025. Regarding the legally collectable funds, county staff shall start implementing the multiple options available to the Sutter County Treasurer-Tax Collector, as noted in Findings #3, to collect the outstanding CDBG monies owed to Sutter County by December 30, 2025. If the DSD’ CDBG funds are deemed not collectable by the Sutter County Treasurer-Tax Collector, on or before March 30, 2026, the BOS should declare the outstanding funds uncollectable and direct staff to terminate efforts to collect funds and remove outstanding balances from Sutter County’s budget by June 30, 2026.
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R2:
The Sutter County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors direct the Sutter County Development Services Department Director to prepare a CDBG Annual Report to the Sutter County Grand Jury and the Board of Supervisors that documents actions being taken to ensure that the 28 loans in the CDBG program are in legal compliance. This request shall be completed by October 1, 2025. REQUIRED RESPONSES: Pursuant to California Penal Codes sections 933 and 933.05, the Sutter County Grand Jury requests responses as follows: THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE IS REQUIRED WITHIN 90 DAYS OF RECEIPT: The Sutter County Board of Supervisors shall respond to R1 and R2. SAFER STREETS – SAFER KIDS SUTTER COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS’ SAFETY: TRAFFIC CONGESTION DURING DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP PERIODS MAY 30, 2025 SUTTER COUNTY GRAND JURY
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Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
As confirmed by SCGJ members’ site visits, no reception staff are available to the public at SCHHS offices, except for SCHHS’s Acute Psychiatric Services.
F2:
No Personnel Directory of SCHHS staff is available to the public (including their web sites) though this has been available to the public in the past.
F3:
Staff scheduling issues are leaving Sutter County residents without appropriate and timely HHS services. Need for a “Dashboard” that Provides Progress on Standardized Indicators Measuring Community Health Improvements DISCUSSION A Community Health Assessment is conducted annually but is not reported on a publicly accessible forum. While two senior SCHHS staff interviewed by the SCGJ reported that many population- based “health indicators” (e.g., reported cases of diabetes, heart disease, cancers, obesity, etc.) seemed to be “getting worse,” in fact, neither could refer to collected data on these health indicators that would be available to the residents of Sutter County. Creation and use of a community- accessible performance and health standards “dashboard” has been “under development” by SCHHS for more than twenty years. Senior SCHHS management reported that a data system that would drive a community-accessible dashboard was projected to be completed in 1.5 years. There were no plans, however, to make that data available to the public. Senior SCHHS management stated that there were “no analysts” on staff that could create a public health measures dashboard. However, a review of SCHHS’ annual budget and organizational chart identifies five (5) “Analyst” positions. FINDINGS
F4:
A $80,000 contract to develop a standardized data analysis system was requested in the 2023-2024 budget, however there was no set date provided to the SCGJ for when action would be taken.
F5:
There are at least five (5) “data analysts” positions identified on SCHHS’s organizational charts (with two more currently unfilled) but none of those positions are currently being employed to produce annual reports on health indicators performance that could be accessible to the public for review. Underfunded State-mandated Community-based Alcohol and Drug Prevention Programming DISCUSSION The State Health Care Services/SUD requires 20% of all SUD block grant funds allocated to counties to be used for community-based prevention services. SCHHS reports it receives approximately $2.20 million from the State’s Health Care Services/SUD block grant funds – 20% would equal $550,000.00. Outside the $6,000 FNL allocation, SCHHS senior managers could not identify additional Sutter County programs to comply with this state mandate. SCGJ contacted the State Health Care Services/Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Division. A senior consultant of the State SUD program confirmed the required 20% mandate. Several SCHHS staff positions are listed under “Prevention Services”. In an interview with a SCHHS senior manager, the SCGJ inquired “What community-based alcohol and drug prevention services does your unit provide?” the SCHHS senior manager responded with, “That’s a good question.” and concluded that there were none that s/he knew of. When interviewed, the SCHHS senior managers were unaware of how to build the community’s involvement in the FNL program. Additionally, they were unable to provide the SCGJ with information on how the community could apply for and/or access the FNL program. FINDINGS
F6:
SCHHS is grossly underspending its 20% mandated funds for community- based alcohol and drug prevention, as only $6,000 is budgeted for FNL programming.
F7:
All SCHHS staff listed in its organizational chart, and who are described by their respective supervisor and are designated as “prevention services” staff, are in fact providing direct therapeutic services to individual clients, in violation of State Health Care Services/SUD mandates.
F8:
Friday Night Live is currently being implemented only in two school districts (East Nicolaus and Live Oak) but the application process by other school districts for FNL programs could not be identified by senior SCHHS staff most responsible for “community-based prevention” services.
Additional Recommendations
9
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Sutter County Grand Jury (SCGJ) recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors direct the Sutter County’s Health and Human Services (SCHHS) to begin installation and adoption of a hardline or mobile telephone system for all managerial staff that incorporates Mailbox and Callback capabilities by January 2026.
R2:
The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to publish an on-line Personnel Directory with accessible phone numbers and office addresses of all senior management staff to facilitate public access to programs and their respective managers by January 2026.
R3:
The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to explore the use of GPS tracking systems for its staff that are serving clients outside the office and are community-based, as both a personnel security measure and to provide collaboration to their staff’s reported direct client service time allocations by January 2026. This is particularly important as many SCHHS staff have not returned to full-time office status in the post- covid working environment.
R4:
The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisor’s acknowledge the successful First 5 program and, with the consent of the Sutter County Children’s and Families Commission, instruct the Zero-to-Five program to move back into a community-accessible brick-and-mortar office space by June 2026. Need for a “Dashboard” that Provides Progress on Standardized Indicators Measuring Community Health Improvements
R5:
The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to create a community health report in “dashboard” format that uses annual standardized reporting metrics on health and well-being indicators that is easily accessible to Sutter County residents by June 2026. Underfunded State-mandated Community-based Alcohol and Drug Prevention Programming
R6:
Friday Night Live has proven to be a youth-energizing and community- inclusive program that should be expanded to other Sutter County Schools. The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to dedicate more staffing time and program resources to expand this program beyond the two rural schools currently hosting it by the start of the 2025 -2026 school year.
R7:
SCHHS is underspending on its State Health Care Services/Substance Abuse Disorder Division’s block grant allocation for community-based alcohol and drug prevention services. The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct SCHHS to increase its budget to underwrite more Friday Night Live programs and verified community-based alcohol and drug prevention programs by October 2026.
R8:
The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct the Director of SCHHS to review its community-based alcohol and drug prevention services budget to ensure it is adhering to State Substance Use Disorder Division’s budget allocation requirements.
R9:
The SCGJ recommends that the Sutter County Board of Supervisors instruct the Director of SCHHS to identify additional staff, currently used in direct client treatment services, that can be trained in community-based prevention services, planning and delivery by January 2026. At present, no SCHHS staff appear to have any competency in this area of community-based alcohol and drug prevention services planning and delivery.
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Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F1:
Ineffective cooling system is causing potential health risk to incarcerated persons and jail staff (e.g., heat related medical issues).
F2:
There are currently several ligature points throughout the jail, particularly in the female holding cells, observation cells and the old portion of the jail which uses grill gates.
F3:
The maintenance staff and outside contractors have addressed some of the issues by resealing seams and other leak points on the roof.
F4:
The jail facility staff sought funding for new lighting. Approval was granted and the installation of new lights was scheduled to begin in March of 2025. A projected completion date of June 2025 was provided by the Sutter County Sheriff.
F5:
The Jail Flooring project is 80% complete as of February 2025. The flooring was also tinted to enhance the jail esthetically and psychologically.
F6:
The CCTV system has been updated and repairs have been made. The new CCTV system was installed January 2025 to address the issues.
F7:
The antiquated showers underwent grout repair and were epoxied to enhance easy cleaning.
Additional Recommendations
6
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The SCGJ recommends the Sutter County Sheriff’s office work with Sutter County Facilities and Development Services as well as Board of Supervisors to begin phasing in the repairs of the outdated cooling system inside the jail this fiscal year or the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026.
R2:
The SCGJ recommends the Sutter County Sheriff’s office address the remaining ligature points (pipe enclosures) within the jail addressed by the BSCC. The SCGJ also recommends the Sutter County Sheriff’s office seek funding for the retrofitting of the grill gates through the Board of Supervisors this fiscal year or the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026.
R3:
The SCGJ recommends the Sutter County Sheriff develop a plan to address a more permanent solution and work with the Sutter County Board of Supervisors to obtain funding to support the maintenance of the roof project. The SCGJ recommends this plan be in place by the beginning of Fiscal Year 2027.
R4:
The SCGJ recommends completing the multi-phased lighting project by the end of this Fiscal Year 2026.
R5:
The SCGJ recommends completing the Jail Flooring Project to assist in mitigating slip and fall accidents by the end of Fiscal Year 2025. If additional funding is needed to complete this project, the Grand Jury recommends requesting funds through the Board of Supervisors by the end of this Fiscal Year 2025.
R7:
The Grand Jury recommends continuing routine maintenance to keep the shower areas in working order.