Picks for legitimate pecking: Grand jury doing its job

Published in the Reporter

Posted: 03/14/2009 01:03:05 AM PDT

The Rooster is not the only one allowed to issue picks and pecks. No, the Solano County grand jury has that honor, too, and in fact has already issued its first report for the 2008-09 year.

Focusing on Solano County's new 311 system, the grand jury found plenty to peck.

Among the complaints: The county has not done enough to market the system, which is designed to funnel telephone calls to a single center for a quick answer or transfer to the appropriate extension. In addition, there has not been enough analysis of the system, which debuted in September.

The concept for the project seems solidly rooted in customer service. With 3,000 possible extensions to county offices, having an efficient routing system makes sense. But even The Rooster is surprised that it will cost $1.3 million for three years to roll out.

The grand jury also recommended that bilingual operators would better serve our diverse community, and that Solano attempt to work all seven Solano County cities into the call center. These are viable comments and the county should take them in the spirit they are intended.

A pick to the Solano County grand jury for doing its job of properly pecking.

* * *

The Rooster is feeling rather peckish over news of a shakeup at the court-appointed receiver's office this week. The receiver -- J. Clark Kelso -- was appointed to clean up the dysfunctional mess that is the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, focusing specifically on medical and mental health issues.

Just a few days before the governor asked a federal judge to dismantle the office, Mr. Kelso fired his chief of staff, John Hagar, who had been focused on the reform issues for years.

His explanation was that he wanted someone in that position who was more willing to collaborate with the governor's office.

Yes, the same office that is trying to dismantle the receivership.

Mr. Kelso insists the action isn't related to a hearing Monday scheduled before U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderon in San Francisco. There's no telling what he's going to say about all this. But it probably won't be good.

* * *

The "Better Living Through Technology" pick this week goes to the Solano County Superior Court, for putting all its court calendars on video display in the courthouses.

The computerized Infax Docket Call system will electronically post each day's calendar on widescreen monitors in five locations.

As noted by Presiding Superior Court Judge Ramona Garrett, the monitors should make the court's complex system a little easier to navigate for the general public.

http://www.thereporter.com/opinion/ci_11912861