Jury aims for ‘cooperation and shared purpose’ with local government
LAKE
COUNTY — The Lake County Civil Grand Jury’s 2019-2020 Final Report, released
this week, begins with an explanation of the historically heated relationship
between the jury and local government leaders.
“It
is generally known that hard feelings have developed over the past several
years regarding the work of the Civil Grand Jury,” the report’s opening
section, entitled “Grand Jury Reboot: Resetting Relationships,” reads. “A
palpable lack of trust and unfortunate misunderstandings have resulted in
actions such as government officials publicly calling for non-cooperation with
the Civil Grand Jury. As such, the goal of this project was to reduce – or even
eliminate – any friction existing between entities, and return to a state of
cooperation and shared purpose.”
In
California, civil grand juries are constitutionally-required investigative
bodies comprised of citizens who volunteer their time to “inquire into county
matters of civil concern” in local governments. One jury is called annually in
each of the state’s 58 counties for this purpose. The juries’ final reports
detail findings and recommendations to which local government leaders must
respond within set timeframes.
In
recent years, the Lake County grand jury’s reports have often sharply
criticized government actions, including the county’s response to the Valley
Fire of 2015 and its management of commercial properties like Holiday Harbor in
Nice and the Lucerne Hotel.
In
turn, county leaders denied a proposed $5,000 grand jury budget increase last
year and have lashed out publicly against the civilian jury. District 5
Supervisor Rob Brown in 2018 said he saw “no value” in the jury’s most recent
report, and warned he would refuse to meet with future grand juries “unless I
have a subpoena in my hand.”
Other
supervisors have made similar remarks. County department heads have
consistently disagreed with many of the jury’s findings and recommendations. US
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) called the jury’s 2017-2018 report largely
inaccurate.
The
2019-2020 report appears to mark an intentional departure from the tone of
previous reports.
In
a letter preceding the report, grand jury foreman Russ Schroy highlights how
some of the areas of “concern” investigated by this year’s jury have already
“received a great deal of governmental actions as well as significant
contributions from many non-governmental organizations” that have “helped to
make Lake County a better place.”
The
16 members of the grand jury this year changed how they approach the agencies
they are investigating, placing a “high value” on trust-building, according to
the report. Informal introductory meetings with officials and county employees,
which the report calls “casual visits,” were conducted, wherein jurors handed
out informational pamphlets on the functions of a grand jury and discussed
their work in general.
“Positive
feedback has been received from several departments expressing appreciation for
the Civil Grand Jury’s efforts to improve and repair relationships,” the jury
writes.
The
2019-2020 report can be read online at http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Boards/Grand_Jury/FinalReports.htm.
Its
investigative work was focused on six primary areas, divided into sections
within the report. These include the Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s
“public safety power shutoffs” of 2019, Lake County Behavioral Health Services,
the introduction last year of industrial hemp into Lake County, homelessness,
tax-defaulted land sales, and post-conviction criminal justice.
Lake County Record-Bee
By
Aidan Freeman
July
4, 2020
No comments:
Post a Comment