Blog note: this is a letter-to-the-editor that members of the 2016-17 Lake County Grand Jury sent to the Lake County Record-Bee about an article that the newspaper published on August 4 and that we posted on this blog on August 7. The headline of that article was: Grand Jury apologizes for report. To our knowledge, the Record-Bee has not yet published this letter. A member of the 2016-17 Grand Jury forwarded it to us.
Your August 4th, page 1, “above the fold” headline was inaccurate and totally misleading. We request that you publish an equally sized and positioned apology so that the citizens of Lake County have an accurate story to rely on. The 2016-2017 Grand Jury did not/does not apologize for its report.
The apology to the Board of Supervisors on August 1st, was for any unprofessional actions by members of the Grand Jury during interviews, not about the content of the report. The 2016/2017 Grand Jury stands by the report as published and looks forward to the government’s responses to our findings and recommendations.
We urge all interested citizens to read the overall report which focuses on many differing areas of government services, efficiency, successes, and areas in need of quite specific improvements. We are well aware of the budgetary challenges Lake County faces. Many of the Grand Jury recommendations suggest means to collect overdue and/or additional funds which have not been implemented. Lack of staff to do so does not negate those recommendations.
Rather than mislead the residents we suggest that you publish the elements of the report and the official responses when they are issued by the various departments and boards.
Signed by 2016-2017 Lake County Civil Grand Jurors: Dan DeBonis, Rosemary Dontje, Patricia Elliot, Jack Gingles, Toni Maier, Jeff Markham, Nanette Marschall, Venn Marschall, Vickie Miller, David Morry. Phil Myers, Russ Schroy, John Vance, Carol Vedder
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