Tulare County Grand Jury
2010-2011
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Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
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Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Findings & Recommendations
11 findings
F1:
Marijuana is the number one cash crop of Tulare County.
F2:
There is an urgent need to eradicate this illegal activity in Tulare County.
F3:
The illegal use of pesticides and fertilizers pollute the local water supplies.
F4:
Because some marijuana gardens are in close proximity to existing residential and school areas, the situation is even more dangerous to county residents.
F5:
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, along with other law enforcement agencies, provide excellent services and are diligently attempting to combat this growing problem with limited resources.
F6:
The estimated cost to upgrade the rail line south of Dinuba from 75 lb rail to at least 112 lb rail was $20 million. This is needed to transport freight at a speed exceeding 10 mph. In Tulare County, SJVR has plans to upgrade the portion of track between Exeter and Dinuba at a cost of $1.2 million keeping the 75 lb rail. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011
F7:
Measure “R” did not originally contain language regarding the preservation of rail lines when approved by the voters; however, TCAG indicated the rail lines will provide an alternative to trucking which will help preserve the road conditions and improve air quality.
F8:
Any voter approved initiative can be changed if a majority of the City Councils of the 8 incorporated cities and the Board of Supervisors approve an amendment. This took place with the short line rail amendment. Measure “R” now contains the following language pertaining to Rail Lines: “For Rail expenditures from the ‘Transit/Bike/Environmental Project Program’ funding may be used for Right of Way acquisition and/or preservation of rail corridors. Preservation of rail corridors by purchase of existing fixtures includes but is not limited to railroad ties, ballast, tracks, and signals are permitted when anticipated commercial operation will result in preservation of the ROW. The purpose of the requirement is to ensure that real-property interest (long term-lease/easement) is maintained for rail use. The expenditure of Measure “R” funds shall not result in a commitment of additional funds. Prior to an agency requesting rail funds from the ‘Transit/Bike/Environmental Projects Program’ a plan must be submitted that demonstrates the economic viability of the rail corridor for which the funding is proposed”.
F9:
SJVR is a subsidiary company of RailAmerica, which is a company owned by Fortress Investment Groups, LLC. Although the studies indicate that the parent company is a hedge fund wanting to salvage the rails for quick income, the Grand Jury was unable to support that conclusion. The County indicated that this company is responsible for increasing costs to users to a point that drove users from using the rail lines. The components for costs to the shipper are as follows: a. Shipping costs are negotiated between the major rail companies (Burlington Northern/Santa Fe and Union Pacific) and the shippers. SJVR does not govern these costs. Major rail company rate increases are passed to the shippers. The major rail companies pay SJVR to bring the rail cars from shippers to their lines. b. The shippers are charged by SJVR when extra services are provided. This includes extra time for loading, picking up cars that have not been loaded and other ancillary services. c. When a shipper’s volume is inadequate to cover the SJVR fixed cost of providing rail service to the shipper, SJVR adds a per rail car surcharge.
F10:
The County indicated that there is an advantage to having rail lines in the County for shipping purposes. In addition to keeping additional trucks off the County roads, the use of rails for freight also improves air quality, and provides an incentive for manufacturers to conduct business in Tulare County, thereby increasing employment opportunities for County residents. The County indicated that there may be additional funds from sources other than Measure “R” funds for the purchase and rehabilitation of the rail lines such as Air Quality funds. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011
F11:
The Grand Jury interviewed management representatives of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), SJVR, and RailAmerica. These interviews revealed that while the EDC states that rail lines are important to the future economic growth of the county, the EDC is not making sufficient effort to bring SJVR and RailAmerica into the process of recruiting new businesses to the county. EDC would not provide the Grand Jury with requested information regarding potential new rail users. CONCLUSIONS According to the studies prepared for TCAG, it was economically infeasible to purchase and operate the short line rail system which included the portion of the system from Strathmore to Jovista. The voters of Tulare County did not approve expenditures for rail lines when considering their vote for Measure “R”. County organizations do not work effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines. This would enable the rail companies to improve the lines without the use of government funds. EDC does not have an effective working partnership with SJVR and RailAmerica to attract businesses into Tulare County.
Additional Recommendations
3
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
If the County decides to preserve short rail lines, TCAG and its member agencies obtain alternate funding for the purchase and repair of the short rail lines; or alternately request voter input through an election process to approve the expenditure of Measure “R” funds for short rail line acquisition, repair and operation.
R2:
EDC prepare a plan to establish a more effective working relationship with RailAmerica and SJVR.
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
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Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
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Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Quick View
Full Details →
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Findings & Recommendations
16 findings
F1:
Under the direction of the Tulare County Board of Education, the Tulare County Superintendent of Schools operates and conducts SCICON.
F2:
There are two advisory boards made up of educators and interested citizens of Tulare County. They are the SCICON Administrative Board and the “Friends of SCICON” Board of Directors. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011
F3:
A SCICON Program Administrator oversees the program with the assistance of nearly 30 additional on-site staff, which includes instructional, clerical, maintenance and food service personnel. A full time nurse is on duty at all times.
F4:
A SCICON Lead Teacher (Teacher) is a fully credentialed professional who specializes in teaching outdoor education. The Teacher provides leadership to the SCICON instructional team, conducts environmental studies and provides curriculum and program organization.
F5:
From August through June of each year, all Tulare County fifth graders attend SCICON for one school day and sixth graders attend SCICON for one school week (five days).
F6:
Each cabin may house up to 11 students and one Cabin Counselor.
F7:
Cabin Counselors are students chosen from local high schools and they are instructed in rules of conduct and safety for the students. They sleep in the cabins with the students and accompany them on all trail walks.
F8:
Having students representing various districts at the same time helps them learn to socialize with each other.
F9:
There are two cabins, one for the boys and one for the girls that are specifically designed for the handicapped.
F10:
On a daily basis SCICON presently accommodates up to 300 students only because the cafeteria has a maximum capacity of 300.
F11:
Because of the increasing population of children within the County, SCICON is in the process of expanding. East of the present cabins and facilities, is a new site called “The East Village”. As of March 25, 2011, six cabins have been built and are being used. Once completed, The East Village will be a mirror image of the present facilities, including a new cafeteria. The two sites combined will be able to accommodate up to 600 students.
F12:
SCICON has one building that was built from a grant. All the remaining buildings (i.e. cabins, cafeteria, etc.) were built from donated supplies, labor, and fundraisers. Additional funds are generated from outside organizations or individuals, such as weddings, church groups, etc. 13. “Friends of SCICON” are in charge of the fundraising activities. The most recent fundraiser was a barbecue lunch held in April 2011 at SCICON.
F13:
“Friends of SCICON” are in charge of the fundraising activities. The most recent fundraiser was a barbecue lunch held in April 2011 at SCICON.
F14:
Large arbors were built by the LIONS and Rotary Clubs. Both arbors are equipped with speakers, tables with benches and a cooking area. During bad weather, heavy tarps may be used to enclose the arbors. An installed heating system keeps the students warm on those cold days or evenings.
F15:
At SCICON, the students learn about nature, not from books, but from a natural 24 outdoor setting. They are taught about everything from composting to the mating TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 outdoor setting. They are taught about everything from composting to the mating habits of salamanders. They study the stars at night and also use the planetarium.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
Continue to do what is done best, “EDUCATE” the youth.
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
The ADA for Tulare County school districts ranges from 19 (Hot Springs Elementary) to 25,089 (Visalia Unified). Superintendents’ total compensation similarly ranges from $80,071 (Saucelito) to $195,384 (Cutler-Orosi) (Attachment A).
F2:
In general, total compensation tracks upward with increasing ADA (Attachment B). Exceptions to this trend may be driven by longevity on the job, the credential or degree held by the individual, the number of school sites in the district, the negotiating ability of the individual superintendent, as well as the amount of attention each Board pays to their incumbent superintendent’s compensation.
F3:
Small district superintendents frequently have job responsibilities beyond their role as superintendent, such as teaching and site principal. The large district superintendents manage large and diverse staffs that cover all functional areas of school district operation.
F4:
There is a great deal of variation in the format of the superintendent’s contract for the various school districts. A common format does exist and is used by many districts, but some districts have either drifted away from the original, or it was never used.
F5:
The contractual support for health insurance and pension benefits varies considerably. Some districts pay all health insurance costs for their superintendent and family, while others only provide access to the district’s health insurance program. Similar variation occurs in regard to health insurance benefits at retirement. The differences noted in pension agreements appear to be more tactical and may be simply due to negotiations at the time of hiring or contract renewal. CONCLUSIONS The total compensation packages for the superintendents of the public school districts analyzed by the Grand Jury generally track positively with the ADA, size, and complexity of each district. The contents of each superintendent’s contract regarding health insurance and pension benefits are variable and do not adhere to any standard form. This does not take away from the observation that the trustees of the school 28 TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 districts in Tulare County are doing a reasonable job of managing their superintendent’s compensation in line with the size and complexity of their districts.
F6:
Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District: a. There are 13 schools in the district, serving grades K-12. b. There are 226 teachers and an ADA of 3,985 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,362 with a TRL of $20,471,908 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. During the November 10, 2010 meeting, Board members were professional, business like, and knowledgeable. f. There were microphones available; however, they were not needed.
F7:
Dinuba Unified School District: a. There are 11 schools in the district, serving grades K-12/Adult. b. There are 322 teachers and an ADA of 5,653 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,690 with a TRL of $30,752,865 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm, closed sessions are at 6:00 pm when needed. e. During the meeting held on October 14, 2010, it was noted that the Board members directed their agenda reports to one another rather than the audience.
F8:
Earlimart School District: a. There are four schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 109 teachers and an ADA of 1,923 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,134 with a TRL of $9,886,950 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. Agendas are posted in English and Spanish. f. A meeting held on January 11, 2011 began at the scheduled time. g. The board members were business like, courteous to each other as well as the visiting audience and appeared to be knowledgeable on school issues.
F9:
Exeter Union School District: a. There are four schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school-8. b. There are 93 teachers and an ADA of 1,913 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,126 with a TRL of $9,667,195 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A board meeting held on March 22, 2011, began on time and all board members were present. f. The board members were business like and appeared to be knowledgeable on school issues. g. The main topic discussed during this meeting was the upcoming eighth grade Wilson School graduation.
F10:
Exeter Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011
F11:
Farmersville Unified School District: a. There are six schools in the district, serving grades K-12. b. There are 142 teachers and an ADA of 2,441 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,587 with a TRL of $13,224,476 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:45 pm. e. On the August 24, 2010 Agenda, six Inter-District Requests for consideration were posted. Only one of those requests was approved. f. Microphones were available; however, the audio was poor and speakers spoke in low tones, making it difficult to hear.
F12:
Hot Springs School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are two teachers and an ADA of 19 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,191 with a TRL of $240,343 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month (except holidays) at 4:00 pm. e. Board members conducted the January 10, 2011 meeting in a professional and business like manner.
F13:
Lindsay Unified School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades K-12. b. There are 186 teachers and an ADA of 3,911 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,388 with a TRL of $20,586,146 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 28, 2011 began on time. f. Board members were well prepared for the meeting and appeared to be professional and business like. g. There were microphones available and they were used.
F14:
Porterville Unified School District: a. There are 23 schools in the district, serving grades K-12/Adult. b. There are 602 teachers and an ADA of 12,682 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,892 with a TRL of $69,343,567 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 4:30 pm. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 e. The Board meeting held on February 10, 2011 was standing room only. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable and conducted the standing room only meeting in a professional manner. g. It was noted that Granite Hills won the Academic Decathlon for the 10th year in a row. The theme was The Grapes of Wrath. h. There was discussion of the Dual Immersion Program. So much time was used on the topic that the Board decided to holdover the discussion until the next scheduled meeting.
F15:
Richgrove School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 40 teachers and an ADA of 689 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,126 with a TRL of $3,433,106 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. At the December 9, 2010 meeting the Board members were knowledgeable and conducted the meeting in a business like fashion. f. Board members attended board training in San Francisco. g. In the near future Solar panels will be installed on the school campus saving the district approximately $100,000 on its annual electric bill. h. A sum of $2.5 million from the districts childcare/pre-school budget needs to be returned to the state.
F16:
Springville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8 b. There are 19 teachers and an ADA of 341 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,100 with a TRL of $1,725,931 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. All board members were present at the December 13, 2010 meeting. f. Board members appeared to have read the agendas and were prepared for their meeting. g. The board appeared to be professional, knowledgeable and treated the public courteously.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The school districts in Tulare County take advantage of the fact that their superintendent’s contracts are all public documents. Requesting and analyzing contracts from similar districts around the county will prove useful when renewing their superintendent’s contract or when negotiating with a replacement.
R2:
The existence of two independent school districts in the City of Tulare stands out in this county. Porterville also has two districts, but the Porterville Unified District has been making unification overtures to the Burton School District and others, and recently absorbed the Strathmore High School District. Tulare may have an opportunity to significantly reduce administration and management costs by consolidating the two districts. Two models for consolidation exist in Tulare County. The more common form is the dissolution of one district in favor of a unified district under the governance of a single board of trustees. The other model, found in Exeter and Woodlake, has the two districts maintaining their separate facilities and boards of trustees, but sharing the costs of a single superintendent and staff. Either model may work in Tulare and should be worth exploring, particularly in this time of shrinking financial support for our schools.
R3:
Dinuba Unified School District a. Board members spend less time talking to each other. b. Board members spend more time engaging public participation.
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
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Findings & Recommendations
27 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. CHALLENGED RETURNS LLEETTTTEERR FFRROOMM TTHHEE JJUUDDGGEESS No signature No Received Residence Deceased Match Signature Too Late Address Issue Other Totals Primary 2004 1 57 29 326 102 12 527 General 2004 210 51 348 199 37 845 Primary 2006 100 15 525 7 647 General 2006 2 253 42 330 14 3 644 Pres. Primary 2008 30 276 72 389 1 10 778 Primary 2008 125 35 468 5 60 693 General 2008 452 95 147 1 35 730 Primary 2010 5 171 124 335 4 639
F9:
The Tulare County Registrar of Voters has a form letter that is sent to voters who have forgotten to sign their envelopes. This enables the voter the opportunity to return their ballot so it can be counted. All ballots must be received by the deadline of 8pm on Election Day.
F10:
In the recent June 2010 election, mail-in ballots were sent to the rural Post Offices with street names and addresses on them, not PO Box numbers. The Post Office returned them to the Election Board for the proper PO Box numbers, causing a delay to the voter in receiving their ballots. These voters had been forced into using mail-in ballots because their precincts were closed.
F11:
Costly touch screen voting booths are “hardly used.” The precinct workers interviewed stated they were advised not to encourage their usage.
F12:
There are 108 Tulare County overseas civilians and 228 military personnel worldwide. Their ballots and information are mailed 60 days prior to the election. For the November election, the ballots and information were mailed on September 3, 2010.
F13:
The California Secretary of State verifies legality of registered voters and relays this information to the county elections board.
F14:
According to the Registrar of Voters, there is no national program in place to verify if a person votes in more than one state.
F15:
Only names and addresses can be asked for to verify identification at the polls – unless the name has been red flagged by the Secretary of State’s office. Then the following ID is deemed acceptable. The following “ID required” notice was given to all Tulare County precinct workers and the wording at the bottom of the page shows how easily fraud can happen. “ID REQUIRED” NOTICE Voter:You are a newly registered voter and you are being asked to provide appropriate identification or other documentation according to Federal law. But please note that every individual has the right to cast a provisional ballot even if he or she does not provide the documentation. It is against the law to represent yourself as being eligible to vote unless you meet all of the requirements to vote under federal and state law. Identification may include any ONE of the following that contains a photo and name of the voter: LETTER FROM THE JUDGES • Driver’s license (current and valid) • State issued identification card • Passport • Employee identification card • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment or business (Example Costco card) • Credit card or debit card • Military identification card • Student identification card • Health Club identification card • Insurance plan identification card • Any photo identification, prepared by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual showing it Identification may include any ONE of the following without a photo of the voter, but containing voter’s name, address and a current date: • Current utility bill • Bank Statement • Government check or paycheck • Sample Ballot booklet • Voter Notification Card • Student ID Card • Any document issued by a government agency that shows the name and address of the voter (Examples could include: public housing ID card, tuition statement or bill, an insurance plan card, a drug prescription card, property tax statement, vehicle registration, etc.) Pollworker: Interpret the requirements above loosely. If the voter’s proof is close to what is listed, go ahead and let the voter vote a regular ballot. If no proof, they should vote provisionally. If questions, call the Elections Office at 559-733-6276. -HA VA Section 303(b)(2)(A)(i) & Cal Code of Reg Title 2 Section 20107 (Rev 212005) CONCLUSIONS While mail-in ballots are vulnerable, no visible signs of tampering with mail-in ballots were found by the Grand Jury. A mail-in ballot should be mailed or returned allowing enough time for it to be received by 8pm on Election Day. Voters who send in ballots that are not received by this deadline are not notified. Voters are notified by mail after the election if their signatures are invalid and their ballots are not counted. If you vote a mail-in ballot and are a senior citizen and/or have had any medical problems since last registering, it is possible your signature has changed. This could cause your ballot to be among the uncounted.
F16:
The museum has stuffed wild animals, natural stones/rocks, a Native American display and much more. CONCLUSIONS Since the time SCICON was first a dream, a wonderful thing happened to all the citizens living in Tulare County. County citizens came together and made a dream come true. The students of yesterday and the students of tomorrow did, and will, come away from SCICON with a better understanding of what nature is and how it works. They did, and will, experience what a book cannot truly teach. A book is one thing; actually seeing, touching and feeling is the best educational tool of all.
F17:
Stone Corral School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are four teachers and an ADA of 131 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,159 with a TRL of $685,260 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 10, 2011 started late, at 5:15 pm. f. No agendas were available and had to be requested. g. Board members did not appear to be knowledgeable on the agenda items. h. Board members did not stick to the agenda items and there was too much table talk between them. i. Of the three board members, two were present.
F18:
Strathmore Union School District: a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. 35 a. There are three schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 39 teachers and an ADA of 761 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,090 with a TRL of $3,814,639 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 15, 2011 was held a day late due to a catastrophic leave situation. It was posted as being held on the day following the original scheduled meeting and was at 11:30 am. f. Board members appeared to be professional and knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F19:
Sundale Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 33 teachers and an ADA of 696 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,099 with a TRL of $3,462,162 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. At the January 25, 2011 meeting, board members were knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F20:
Terra Bella Union School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 46 teachers and an ADA of 873 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $4,444,185 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. At the board meeting held on January 13, 2011, board members appeared to have marginal knowledge of the agenda items. f. There were no microphones available and it was difficult to hear what was being discussed. g. It appeared that some board members tended to over explain some of the agenda items, causing the meeting to last longer than necessary.
F21:
Tulare City School District: a. There are 15 schools in the district, serving grades Pre-school – 8. b. There are 441 teachers and an ADA of 8,760 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,129 with a TRL of $44,109,785 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 22, 2011 was well run. f. Board members appeared knowledgeable on the agenda items.
F22:
Tulare County Office of Education: a. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 pm. b. At the February 9, 2011 meeting, it was noted that the meeting room is too small and there was standing room only. c. Board members were knowledgeable on agenda items. d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other 36 d. The meeting was well run and board members were courteous to each other and to the public. e. Board members appeared genuinely interested in what the audience had to say during the public comment time.
F23:
Tulare Joint Union High School District: a. There are eight schools in the district, serving grades 9-12/Adults. b. There are 237 teachers and an ADA of 4,676 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,392 with a TRL of $29,324,749 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. e. A meeting held on February 17, 2011 began on time. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda, were prepared for the meeting, and were knowledgeable on the agenda items. g. The meeting was well run and all items were discussed in a timely manner. h. There was only one microphone available making it difficult to hear.
F24:
Visalia Unified School District: a. There are 38 schools in the district, serving grades Pre K-12/Adults. b. There are 1,161 teachers and an ADA of 25,548 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,390 with a TRL of $133,016,222 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. e. A meeting held on November 9, 2010 began on time and all board members were present. f. Board members were prepared for the meeting, courteous to each other and to the audience.
F25:
Waukena Joint Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are nine teachers and an ADA of 255 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,095 with a TRL of $1,240,127 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on March 14, 2011 began at 6:10 pm. One board member arrived two hours late. f. Some of the board members asked questions on certain agenda items, for clarification. g. The Superintendent was asked to thoroughly explain each agenda item to board members.
F26:
Woodlake Union High School District: a. There are two schools in the district, serving grades 9-12. b. There are 38 teachers and an ADA of 754 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $7,365 with a TRL of $4,806,287 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. e. A meeting held on November 3, 2010 had three of five board members present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for 37 present. f. Board members appeared to have read the agenda and were prepared for their meeting. g. After two agenda items had been discussed, the board members went into closed session for a hearing on Student Expulsion(s)/Reinstatement and dinner. After 1¼ hours, the meeting resumed. h. There was unnecessary talking between the board members. i. At 10:00 pm, the board members went into a second closed session for discussion on the Superintendent Evaluation.
F27:
Woodville Union School District: a. There is one school in the district, serving grades K-8. b. There are 35 teachers and an ADA of 540 students. c. The Revenue Limit per ADA is $6,103 with a TRL of $2,843,428 per year. d. Board meetings are scheduled to be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. e. A meeting held on February 8, 2011 was well organized and the Board members appeared businesslike and professional. f. Of the five board members, one appeared not to be prepared for the meeting. g. Board members were courteous to each other and to the audience. h. Microphones were not used, making it difficult to hear what was being said. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of a select few, school board meetings appeared to be well run by well-informed board members. Some of the board meetings did not have microphones available and others had microphones available and not used. It was difficult to hear during those meetings. During some school board meetings, there was unnecessary talking between board members and/or agenda discussions took too long.
Additional Recommendations
11
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
R2:
Each agency investigates its mail charges on a regular basis to ensure they are meeting their best-practice goals. 12
R3:
County organizations work more effectively with potential shippers and the rail companies to increase the profitability of the rail lines
R4:
Exeter Union High School District a. Make more than one microphone available and use them. 38
R5:
Farmersville Unified School District a. Improve the audio system.
R6:
Stone Corral School District a. Make agendas available prior to a meeting. b. Board members familiarize themselves with the agenda items prior to meetings. c. Board members follow the agenda. d. Board members spend less time talking among themselves.
R7:
Terra Bella Union School District a. Make microphones available and use them. b. Spend less time trying to explain agenda items.
R8:
Tulare County Office of Education a. Have a larger meeting room available for those meetings that may have a larger than average attending audience.
R9:
Tulare Joint Union High School District a. Add more microphones and use them.
R10:
Woodlake Union High School District a. Board members have their evening meal BEFORE the scheduled meeting time. b. Schedule all closed sessions before or after the public sessions. This may increase public attendance c. Limit talking between the board members.
R11:
Woodville Union School District a. Use the microphones that are available.
Findings & Recommendations
11 findings
F1:
An Administrative Hearing (hearing) was held on January 21, 2009. The Hearing Administrator found the PO to be in compliance because a Special Use Permit Application (SUPA) was filed prior to notification of the hearing. Fines in excess of $7,000 were waived and the PO was instructed to pay an Administrative Fee in the amount of $270. Unfortunately, the Hearing Administrator did not know the SUPA could not be processed because it was incomplete and was therefore invalid. Prior to the hearing the PO was notified the SUPA could not be processed until the application was filled out in its entirety.
F2:
Between the January hearing and the hearing mentioned below, the PO did not complete the SUPA process.
F3:
On December 2, 2009 a second hearing was held. The PO was notified of the hearing and failed to appear. It was ruled that the PO was in violation of the following: 63 TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 a. Installation of a seatrain without a Building Permit or required inspections b. Operating a trucking business in an AE-10 Zone without a SUP c. Storage of inoperative vehicles and parts stored outside an enclosed building in an AE-10 Zone d. Accumulation of solid waste in an AE-10 Zone
F4:
Again the PO was assessed an Administrative fee in the amount of $270. As of November 2010, the PO had not paid the assessment.
F5:
Since the December hearing, RMA has failed to bring the PO into compliance.
F6:
An employee of RMA questioned the status of this particular PO and was instructed to “leave it alone”. CONCLUSION RMA is either unwilling or unable to bring this particular PO into compliance with the zoning laws of Tulare County.
F7:
As of February 1, 2011, there were seven full time and two part time Zone and Building Inspectors. Not one had s pecific training for code violations or code compliance.
F8:
Between January 2, 2010 and Decem ber 30, 2010 RMA received 457 66 code complaints. The status of those complaints was as follows: a. 115 had verified code violations b. 105 had no violations c. 46 were duplicate complaints d. 20 were not applicable as they belonged to other area agencies such as a city e. Between June 29 and December 30, 2010 RMA Out of those 200 complaints, 53 were anonymous complaints and 13 were of unknown origin.
F9:
A partial list of information recorded in a ledger of accounts (ledger) owing fines include: a. Violation number b. Violation status c. Parcel number d. Client (actual or business name) e. Date of Fine (Hearing) f. Amount of fine g. Total payments h. Balance due
F10:
Some of the information conc erning two clients recorded in the ledger of accounts includes the following: a. Client Number One: the parcel number recorded is 888-888-88, client name recorded is “COUNTY VI OLATOR”, Date of F ine is 1/1/2006, fine amount is $2,500, no payments and the Balance Due is $4,715.07. On March 24, 2011, RMA provided a revised ledger that “COUNTY VIOLATOR” is actually an e xample of how to fill o ut the ledger. b. Client Number Two: client name is recorded as “Tulare County Deputy Sheriff”, Date of Fine (Hearing) 07/ 17/2007, fine amount is $270. The violations were corrected; however, there have been
F11:
The ledger, mentioned in Findings 9 and 10, is one example of inaccurate recorded information. A sec ond is a file log on Areas one through eight and Redevelopment. One parcel re corded in Area six, has a Site Inspection/Confirmation date of 12/30/2011 and the Courtesy Notice
Additional Recommendations
3
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
Vacate the January 2009 Administrative Hearing decision and assess the PO with all previously waived fines and fees. In addition to the waived fines and fees, assess the PO all the fines, fees and accumulated interest.
R2:
Interest charges must be included with all assessed fines and fees.
R3:
Use all means necessary to bring this PO into compliance, including but not limited to use of the Superior Court.
Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
There were a total of 23 Grand Jury reports in the 2009-2010 Final Report, 22 of which required 141 responses from 101 different entities.
F2:
There were 327 findings and 124 recommendations.
F3:
The following diagrams indicate the percentages of concurrence with or disagreement to the findings; and implementation or non-implementation of
F4:
Voter registration closes 15 days prior to the next County wide election.
F5:
Voters must live in Tulare County for a minimum of 15 days prior to the election.
F6:
Precinct workers were reminded during training NOT to ask for identification, unless the voters’ names were red flagged.
F7:
Mail-in/absentee ballots can be uncounted for the following reasons: a. person is deceased b. no signature c. signatures do not match d. received too late e. resident’s address is an issue
F8:
The table below speaks for itself. The most significant is the 2008 General election where 452 ballots had unmatched signatures. In some cases, it can take less than 200 to change the outcome of an election. 8
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
All government entities should attend the annual county-sponsored Government training. California Penal Code §933.05 requires a response to be filed. Failure to comply may result in court mandated sanctions.
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Findings & Recommendations
14 findings
F1:
California has the largest number of confirmed cases of Pertussis within the United States.
F2:
In 2010, there were 10 deaths due to Pertussis in California. Nine were infants less than two months old.
F3:
Tulare County falls in the midrange of cases reported by California counties.
F4:
Pertussis is an airborne bacterial respiratory illness. It can be spread from person to person by droplets released by coughing and sneezing.
F5:
Infants are at high risk because they are not vaccinated until they are about six weeks old. Adolescents and adults are also at risk to Pertussis because their immunity has waned from their childhood vaccinations. Two different vaccines 41 TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011 are used in the prevention of Pertussis. Diphtheria Tetanus Acelular Pertussis (DTaP) is given at six weeks of age. Tetanus Diphtheria Adult Pertussis (Tdap), is a booster given to youths and adults.
F6:
Approximately 1,500 doses of Pertussis vaccine were given throughout the county in November and December of 2010. The locations included swap meets, farmers markets, Tulare County Works Office, W. I. C. Offices, McDermott Field House, Tulare Outlet Mall, Tulare and Visalia Veterans Memorial Buildings, and at some school sites.
F7:
Depending on clinic attendance, vaccination costs range between $8.00 and $24.00. Another variable in determining cost included whether County employees or Maxim (a contracted health care personnel provider) administers the vaccinations.
F8:
Assembly Bill 354 (AB 354) requires all incoming students from 7th grade through high school to be immunized against Pertussis beginning July 1, 2011. The contract between the State and Maxim was extended, but cannot be utilized for the purpose of satisfying this new (unfunded) school mandate. Maxim can only be utilized to “cocoon infants.” Children eligible for the Vaccines For Children (VFC) program can go to an Immunization Action Program (IAP) clinic and all others to their personal doctor for this vaccine.
F9:
Parents can easily opt out of having their children immunized by signing a form citing religious or medical objections.
F10:
Due to funding and staffing issues as of January 1, 2011, there will no longer be any clinics other than the regularly scheduled IAP clinics. Adults are welcome to attend IAP clinics for Tdap vaccine.
F11:
Tdap is offered in the County’s Mobile Health Unit by appointment. All three birthing hospitals; i.e., Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, Tulare Regional Medical Center in Tulare and Sierra View Hospital in Porterville refer families of newborns for vaccinations.
F12:
Tdap is offered to parents of newborns coming into the Vital Statistics Office for birth certificates.
F13:
Immunizations with Tdap are strongly recommended by the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) for anyone in a home where newborns and/or infants reside, or are cared for. CONCLUSIONS Due to the restrictions placed by the State, HHSA cannot use State supplied vaccines to conduct immunization clinics to include all students in each school. Lack of funding limits HHSA personnel from conducting more clinics for purposes of cocooning, even though the County has access to vaccines from the State at no cost. TULARE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT 2010-2011
F55:
9. TCERA, in accordance with its role as administrator of the Plan, maintains a separate account known as the Supplemental Retiree Benefit Reserve (SRBR). The monies in the SRBR fund (about $120 million at the end of June, 2010) are described by T U L A R E C O U N T Y G R A N D J U R Y R E P O R T 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 46 TCERA as having come from “excess earnings (that is those earnings above what the plan expects to make on its investments each year)”. Of earnings deemed to be “excess earnings” about 50% are put into the SRBR.
Additional Recommendations
4
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
Tdap boosters be given every five years until the age of 65.
R2:
Improve communication between HHSA and school districts on implementation of AB 354.
R3:
To prevent the spread of Pertussis, it is recommended: a. infants, children, and adults, especially new parents and care providers of infants, be up-to-date on immunizations for protection against Pertussis, as well as other vaccine-preventable diseases, b. individuals cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing, and c. individuals wash their hands thoroughly and often.
R4:
TCERA reduce SRBR payments to half their current level for the next two years as a transition period and then close the fund permanently, returning the balance to the general Plan fund for all employees’ future basic pension benefits.