Oroville >> In its
2014-15 report released Friday, the Butte County Grand Jury found the city of
Oroville has solved deficit problems and personnel conflicts of years past.
While the city’s financial
picture has improved over the past 5 years, the Grand Jury noted the city
generally laid off staff and made other budget cuts to cope with rising
expenses and flat revenue. About 72 percent of general fund spending is for
salaries and benefits.
The layoffs have led to
understaffing and an increased workload for city employees.
It noted the fire and police
departments have the same number of employees that they had 42 years ago,
although the city has doubled in size. The city is also expanding with the
ongoing annexation of Southside Oroville east of Lincoln Boulevard and around
Lower Wyandotte Road.
Oroville police will gradually
assume responsibility for the entire annexation area while the fire department
will serve the Lower Wyandotte Road area.
Call to add staff
The report recommended finding
creative ways of adding employees, particularly for fire and police. It called
for pursuing the public safety sales tax and letting residents know exactly how
money will be used.
The City Council has directed
Public Safety Director Bill LaGrone to develop the sales tax proposal, but work
has been delayed as he worked on a plan to have municipal officers handle code
enforcement, safety patrols and misdemeanor property crimes.
The Grand Jury found the
acrimony of years past has changed into a process that runs more smoothly.
However, it noted the city has had six city administrators in the past five
years and called on the City Council to be more selective to find a leader with
necessary experience and desire to make the city a better place to live.
Other issues
In other matters, the Grand
Jury found that Oroville has a problem addressing people who are homeless. The
report notes that relocation efforts led to people moving to different areas in
the city and arrests are ineffective.
Part of the issue is
environmental, with more than 25 tons of waste removed from areas where people
lived along Highway 162 and Montgomery Street.
The report said the city should
continue to support programs to get people off the street and into support
programs.
The persistent drought has also
led to water issues for city parks. Jurors called for the city to develop a
plan, including the use of native plants, to keep parks from turning brown or
being paved over.
Under state law, the City
Council has 90 days to submit a response.
June
19, 2015
Oroville
Mercury Register
By Ryan
Olson, Chico Enterprise-Record
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