Tuolumne County Grand Jury
2021-2022
Findings & Recommendations
13 findings
F1:
1: Tuolumne County does not maintain or update safety documents in a manner consistent with prioritizing employee safety, and the lack of a document control system makes it impossible for a County employee to know if a particular copy of a document is the current release or an obsolete version.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
1: Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors should mandate the CAO adopt a policy and a document control system (commercial, freeware, or manual) to ensure that safety documents are maintained, updated, and tracked. This should include the date of approval and date of updates with approval signatures. This should be implemented by December 31, 2022. (F1.1, F1.2, F1.6)
F2:
1: The Grand Jury finds that the Board meeting rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Resolution No. 23-15 and the Code of Conduct are not consistently followed or well understood by Board members, contributing to inefficient and ineffective meetings.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
1: on the Board Rules and Regulations and Board Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics. This should be implemented by December 31, 2022. (F2.1, F2.3) The Board of Supervisors should review, revise, and expand the Code of
F1.1:
: Tuolumne County does not maintain or update safety documents in a manner consistent with prioritizing employee safety, and the lack of a document control system makes it impossible for a County employee to know if a particular copy of a document is the current release or an obsolete version. The County's failure to keep safety documents current have caused some
F1.2:
: County departments to contract with outside entities to obtain current documents adding to County expenditures.
F1.3:
: The Tuolumne County Administration Office does not effectively promote keeping safety documentation up to date with OSHA standards and best practices. Many shortcomings with safety document maintenance and management can be
F1.4:
: attributed to the County lacking a Safety Management System that would mandate updating, maintaining, and implementing safety documents.
F1.5:
: For many years Tuolumne County has not had a functioning and effective Safety Committee that enables County departments to react to new safety issues, to learn from near misses, or steer an improved safety culture within County departments.
F1.6:
: The Tuolumne CAO has not followed through with the commitment to update by March 2021 the Personnel Rules and Regulations adopted in 1997, leaving them out of date compared with current human resource best practices.
F2.1:
: The Grand Jury finds that the Board meeting rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Resolution No. 23-15 and the Code of Conduct are not consistently followed or well understood by Board members, contributing to inefficient and ineffective meetings. The Grand Jury finds that the County's Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics
F2.2:
: are not specific enough to guide Board of Supervisors and staff behavior towards achieving excellence in governance and the omission of "Provide accurate and usable information" in the recently approved Code of Conduct is unexplained.
F2.3:
: The Grand Jury finds that the Board of Supervisors does not have an adequate, structured training requirement for the subjects of ethics, Code of Conduct, or meeting rules of order.
F2.4:
: The Grand Jury finds that Supervisors presented material during public Board Meetings without utilizing County professionals to vet the information, resulting in information being presented that was later refuted by the scientific community.
F2.5:
: The Grand Jury finds that the draft Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors Governance Manual dated February 2021 has not yet been finalized leaving the Administration without an effective governance document.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
environment for detained youths that has reduced recidivism and fostered rehabilitation through their trauma-informed services and a focus on respectful, responsible, and safe behavioral goals. Despite the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, a motivated and creative
F2:
staff have adapted and maintained high quality educational programs and behavioral health treatment.
F3:
The COVID-19 pandemic reduced programs offered by volunteers, including religious, gardening, recreational, and other activities that have negatively impacted enrichment programs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury recommends continued work with the Department of Public Health, parents or guardians of youths, staff, and prospective volunteers to develop and implement appropriate COVID-19 mitigation measures that will allow a return to enrichment activities that are currently curtailed by September 30, 2022. (F3) The Tuolumne County Grand Jury urges implementation of security upgrades by
F4:
A gap in security is evidenced by the escape of one youth. A successful grant application for security upgrades is noted.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
December 31, 2022. (F4)
F5:
Occupancy rates are being optimized and costs per youth per day are lower than some alternative placements, saving the county costs for detained youth.
F6:
Increasing occupancy to full capacity will require recruitment and retention of additional Juvenile Correction Officers through competitive wage scales and opportunities for advancement.
Related Recommendations (2)
R3:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury recommends that county Human Resources conduct a review of the salary structure, particularly for entry level staff, at MLRJDF by December 31, 2022. (F6)
R4:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury recommends that MLRJDF develop a multi-year plan for accommodation of additional youth and a corresponding staff recruitment plan for additional juvenile correction officers by December 31, 2022. (F6)
Additional Recommendations
1
Not linked to specific findings.
R29-90:
days, 5 percent (four) stayed 91-180 days, and 4 percent (three youths) stayed 181 days or more. One reason for increasing length of stay is that there are more youth in secure detention locally who are categorized under 707 (b) offenses, which are more serious and violent crimes. Table 2. Average length of stay and costs per day for youths Fiscal Year Average Length of Total cost Net TC cost (July-June) per youth Stay per youth per day* per day FY 17/18 $452 42.8 days $574 FY 18/19 48.37 days $490 $417 FY 19/20 55.7 days $361 $287 $333 $180 FY 20/21 76.1 days 65.5 days† $354†† $228†† FY 21/22 * Net cost = Expenditures minus revenues; costs that must be covered by county discretionary funds † Average length of stay for the first 3 quarters of the current fiscal year. †† Partial year cost information During FY 20/21 there were expenses of $1,456,992, of which 84 percent were for salaries and benefits. Revenues were $669,977, which included $287,015 from state revenue and $380,938 from other governments. Revenues from other counties have increased as they have referred more youth to this excellent program (Figure 1). State revenues also increased from $179,338 to $387,015 during this time period. Tuolumne County contributions in FY 20/21 were $787,015. The Steps to Success juvenile CAMP program will yield additional state revenues and two state grants provide $100,000 in service enhancements this year without impacting the general fund. Counties in the region served by MLRJDF pay Tuolumne County to reserve beds for their youth requiring secure detention. Calaveras County reserves two beds and the other three counties in the region reserve one bed each. In FY 21/22 these counties paid $150 per bed per day ($54,750/year for each reserved bed) and $175 per day for additional beds; rates for FY 22/23 are currently being negotiated. County of Tuolumne. Mother Lode Regional Juvenile Detention budget 0001-203220. https://stories.opengov.com/tuolumnecountyca/published/i65JjNxep accessed March 8, 2022 Figure 1. Revenue sources from regional counties Total MLRJDF Placement Revenue by Fiscal Year $500,000 $422,725 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $126,312 $100,000 $34,100 $26,100 Ś- 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 Regional Counties' Overall Contribution to MLRJDF Placement Revenue Mariposa, Amador, $121,312,20% $121,175,20% Inyo, $60,950, 10% Calaveras, $305,800,50% The core of the staff who interact with youths at MLRJDF are classified as Juvenile Correctional Officers I/II with salary ranges from $22.05/hour at entry level to $29.74/hour at the top step. Senior Juvenile Correctional Officers have a salary range from $26.92 to $32.86 per hour. The current facility has a capacity of thirty youth, but accommodation of more than sixteen youth in MLRJDF will require additional correctional officers. Recruitment of Juvenile Correction Officer I/II positions may be hampered by noncompetitive wages, though promotions of staff in the past year appear to have contributed to retention of existing staff.13 13Government Compensation in California (GCC) website. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/Department.aspx?departmentid%3D1069 2\%26 y ear \%3D2020 \&sa=D \&source=docs \&ust=1646753172325659 \&usg=AOvVaw1K7 mDkprwGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPkyiiajGPk XVpq FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND COMMENDATIONS
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Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F1:
APS does not have enough resources or staff to properly assess, investigate, and address cases putting our vulnerable residents at risk for elder abuse.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The management of HHSA, through the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, should advocate for increased funding from federal and state resources. The State of California recently announced a $31 billion budget surplus. The time seems right to aggressively seek additional funding. Increased staffing should be a priority to address the previous staff cuts that were not replaced. The Grand Jury recommends that positions to be added should include at least one full time social worker for APS. This should be completed by the end of the calendar year 2022. (F1)
F2:
The salaries of the key roles or positions in APS are not competitive with counties surrounding Tuolumne County impacting staff recruitment and morale.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends that the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors consider an off-cycle increase in the pay level of the respective social services staff. It is recommended that a class and compensation study be performed of the parity of salaries be completed and the salary adjustments made before the end of the calendar year 2022. (F2)
F3:
There are limited training opportunities for both new and existing staff in the APS Department stunting staff advancement and impacting work-flow.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends that APS should provide formalized training for all new social services staff. This should include training on all policies and procedures. Continuing education should be provided for established employees. If on-line training is appropriate, time and resources should be provided to the employees during regular work hours. (F3)
F4:
There is a lack of community awareness and knowledge regarding the role of APS. There is also a misunderstanding by the public and other county agencies about that role. It is often thought that APS is trying to remove seniors from their homes when in truth APS tries to connect seniors to the proper resources that will allow them to stay in their homes.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
APS should take the lead to develop a formalized community approach to public awareness, prevention, and education of elder abuse. The Grand Jury recommends that within six months the HHSA create a temporary position or hire an independent contractor as a Community Awareness and Outreach Analyst to address the apparent lack of community awareness. This individual should analyze the need for outreach and training, and create a program of written and social media outreach to inform the public and community at large about elder abuse and the services available to aid and protect seniors over 65 in need of help. The person hired should have a background in marketing, skills in communication, and social media marketing, and be able to set up an ongoing maintenance system to annually monitor the effectiveness of the efforts. (F4)
F5:
The organizations and agencies that interact with older residents, and/or where one might expect to find information about APS, are almost completely lacking the knowledge of the County's APS department. Opportunities for informing and/or connecting residents with vital services are lost.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
APS should actively contact the agencies where information about the role of APS would be of value. APS should request of these organizations that the APS brochure be prominently placed in the lobby, reception area, or bulletin board. APS should educate the management of these agencies about the mission of APS. The Community Awareness and Outreach Analyst should be directed to implement these recommendations. (F5)
F6:
Mandated Reporters are not consistently aware of their responsibilities as such potentially causing an under-reporting of elder abuse cases.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
The Grand Jury Recommends that APS should spearhead a campaign to educate Mandated Reporters regarding the methods to recognize and report suspicions of elder abuse. The Community Awareness and Outreach Analyst should be directed to implement this recommendation. (F6) Commendation
F7:
APS provides an admirable service to the senior and dependent residents of Tuolumne County. The HHSA staff is dedicated and committed to serving APS. Often when associates do leave APS, they stay within the department to continue to serve the community. Recommendations
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Additional Recommendations
4
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The management of HHSA, through the R4. APS should take the lead to develop a
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends that the 65 in need of help. The person hired should have a
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends that APS should
R5:
APS should actively contact the agencies
Additional Recommendations
3
Not linked to specific findings.
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends that inmate
R3:
The Grand Jury recommends that virtual
R4:
The Grand Jury recommends that the
Additional Recommendations
2
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
2: Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors should require the CAO to adopt a Safety
• Safety Committee Management System for the County that would
• Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) oversee not just documentation, but all aspects
• Incident Response of safety policy, risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion. This should
• OSHA and HIPAA compliance be put in place by December 31, 2022. From a review of County documents it was
R2:
1: The Board of Supervisors should undergo 2020 was one staff member added. The induction as well as annual training on the Board responsibility for staffing levels lies with the Rules and Regulations and Board Code of Tuolumne County Administration and the Conduct and Code of Ethics. This should be Board of Supervisors. implemented by December 31, 2022. During its investigation, the Grand Jury R2.2: The Board of Supervisors should review, interviewed Board members and administrative revise, and expand the Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics by December 31, 2022 to include officials and watched videos of Board additional details with examples and specific meetings. In addition, the Grand Jury guidance. researched best practices for government entities by reviewing education materials R2.3: Supervisors should consult with qualified produced by the California State Association of County staff prior to placing technical or health Counties and the League of California Cities, and safety items on the agenda, to provide comparing these best practices to the accurate and usable information. The Board governance procedures adopted in Tuolumne should revise its Rules and Regulations to include guidance on how this is accomplished and County. documented by December 31, 2022. The Grand Jury acknowledges that the County
Additional Recommendations
2
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
2: Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors
R2:
1: The Board of Supervisors should undergo
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Additional Recommendations
2
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury
R3:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury
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Additional Recommendations
2
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury these youths can build resiliency, reduce recommends continued work with the Department recidivism and adult criminal behavior, and have of Public Health, parents or guardians of youths, been shown to be cost effective. staff, and prospective volunteers to develop and implement appropriate COVID-19 mitigation The Grand Jury found that MLRJDF provides an measures that will allow a return to enrichment exceptional and positive environment for activities that are currently curtailed by September detained youths through trauma-informed 30, 2022. services that encourage respect, responsibility, and safety. The on-site educational program R2: The Tuolumne County Grand Jury urges implementation of security upgrades by December provides high quality teaching and leads to 31, 2022. educational progress for youths, despite special education needs, personal trauma, and variable
R3:
The Tuolumne County Grand Jury lengths of stay in detention. The COVID-19 recommends that county Human Resources pandemic limited enrichment programs that rely conduct a review of the salary structure, particularly on community volunteers, but these programs for entry level staff, at MLRJDF by December 31, are now returning. 2022. Our neighboring counties of Calaveras, R4: The Tuolumne County Grand Jury Mariposa, Amador, and Inyo rely on MLRJDF as recommends that MLRJDF develop a multi-year a regional resource. These counties pay for plan for accommodation of additional youth and a corresponding staff recruitment plan for additional services for their detained youth and to reserve juvenile correction officers by December 31, 2022. beds. These revenues and state funds defray 12 June 2022
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Additional Recommendations
3
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
1: TUD should continue to seek grant funding R1.2: Because the timing and availability of grant for its capital improvement needs. Recognizing the funding are beyond TUD’s control, the TUD Board recent passage of the Infrastructure Investment and of Directors should also consider undertaking a Jobs Act, the next several years could be a new rate study by January 2023 that addresses watershed opportunity for funding upgrades to CIP funding, specifically: aging infrastructure in the utilities sector. TUD should ensure it is prepared to meet oncoming
• the funding of infrastructure consolidation changes by: projects already in the CIP;
• ensuring revenue supports not just the
• staying abreast of grant qualification marginal cost of supplying water but CIP thresholds (i.e., proportional rate percent of and inflation; and MHI);
• identifying additional savings opportunities
• dedicating the best people and pool that could be applied to infrastructure resources to prepare successful grant modernization and improvement. applications; and
• ensuring it has adequate resources for R1.3: The TUD Board of Directors should consider matching/contributing grant and loan undertaking a new rate study by January 2023 that funding requirements. re-evaluates the adequacy of TUD’s contingency reserve funding. This should include an analysis of the sufficiency of the two percent contingency target reserve and how reserve fund levels are tracked and reported. June 2022 Tuolumne County Grand Jury Final Report Summaries Tuolumne Utilities District: Water is Life Part 2. Personnel and Leadership This report includes findings on the potential Changes costs of leadership changes and offers recommendations on how TUD can minimize Leadership changes are a natural part of unnecessary personnel change, establish time- organizational maturity and community politics. proven selection criteria, and retain the district’s best workers. Recommendations
R2:
1: Prior to the next performance R2.3: Particularly in light of recent trends in the review/compensation cycle, the TUD board should labor market, TUD should, within the next year, adopt a policy that establishes the process for consider: hiring and firing, evaluating the performance of, and adjusting the compensation of the general
• commissioning an updated evaluation of manager. employee salary structures and benefits packages; and
R3:
1: TUD should designate a “point person” to R3.3: By June 2023, TUD should actively develop answer public inquiries regarding the PG&E a plan and pursue funding for full implementation of acquisition. Without further delay, TUD should the PLPRP. disclose to the public all non-confidential information regarding the current state of R3.4: The TUD board should amend its strategic discussions regarding the PG&E acquisition. plan to include stronger environmental and recreational goals and objectives by June 2023.
Additional Recommendations
3
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
1: TUD should continue to seek grant funding R1.2: Because the timing and availability of grant
R2:
1: Prior to the next performance R2.3: Particularly in light of recent trends in the
R3:
1: TUD should designate a “point person” to R3.3: By June 2023, TUD should actively develop
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.