To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Terri Wright 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Click or tap here to enter text.
Title:
Title
Response to the 2018-19 Civil Grand Jury Report
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Approve the Board of Supervisors response to the 2018-19 Civil Grand Jury Report recommendations, and direct staff to formally transmit Sonoma County’s complete set of responses to the 2018-19 Civil Grand Jury Report findings and recommendations.
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Executive Summary:
Each year the Civil Grand Jury completes a Final Report on its investigations of potential issues in local government agencies. The 2018-19 Grand Jury Final Report <http://sonoma.courts.ca.gov/info/administration/grand-jury/GJ-2018-2019> was presented to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court on June 19, 2019. The Final Report included various findings and recommendations that require response from the Board of Supervisors within 90 days, or no later than September 19, 2019.
Once approved, the full set of responses to the 2017-18 Civil Grand Jury Report will be transmitted to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
Discussion:
The full set of responses to the 2018-19 Civil Grand Jury Report is attached. The Grand Jury has requested a response from the Board of Supervisors for the following completed investigations:
• The Behavioral Health Budget: A Perfect Storm
Investigation was triggered by Citizen Complaints urging the Civil Grand Jury to take a closer look at the fiscal challenges within the Behavioral Health division (BHD) budget. Fortunately, the investigation noted that there is no money missing. And, as a result of the investigation, the Grand Jury discovered a number of issues which they termed the “perfect storm.”
Thanks to the Board’s efforts and willingness to prioritize behavioral health services for our community through a series of allocations from one-time County discretionary funds, a significant budget shortfall that would have significantly reduced services was averted.
Nonetheless, the Grand Jury concluded that state and federal funding are insufficient to meet Sonoma County Behavioral Health Services’ needs; additionally, fiscal challenges resulted from lack of consistent policies and procedures within the BHD system, which Department leadership has now been working on addressing for the last year.
• Managing Public Properties in Sonoma County: Uncoordinated Decisions and Neglect
The Grand Jury’s investigation confirms that managing the County’s public property has been stymied by economic realities, shifting state resources, a fragmented data system, and catastrophic fires and floods. The Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury’s intent for completing this report is to assist decision makers and the public understand why the quality of public facilities is inadequate, and create an interest regarding public property.
It is important to note that the Board of Supervisors has prioritized this unmet need and established, as part of the FY 2017-18 budget hearings, a new financial policy <https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CAO/Public-Reports/Budget-Reports/Financial-Policies-for-FY-2017-2018/> that over a 5 year period will dedicate forty percent (40%) of all new property tax growth-which is above the growth needed to keep up with inflation for existing levels of General Fund services-to the Capital Projects budget to be used towards addressing deferred maintenance of County facilities. Please refer to separate board item on today’s agenda providing an update on deferred maintenance.
As part of the Grand Jury’s 2018-19 Report, additional investigations were completed, which did not request the Board of Supervisors or Board of Directors to respond. The investigation reports are:
• The Jail House Rocks
• Will There Be Water After an Earthquake?
Departments’ responses were submitted to Honorable Judge Nadler by 8/19/2019 and courtesy copies have been provided to Supervisorial Districts.
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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STAFFING IMPACTS
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
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Attachments:
Recommended Board of Supervisors Responses
Behavioral Health Responses to Grand Jury Report
General Services Responses to Grand Jury Report
Sheriff’s Responses to Grand Jury Report
Sonoma Water Responses to Grand Jury Report
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None