San Bernardino County grand jury report focuses on reform

By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

Read the San Bernardino Grand Jury report

The San Bernardino County grand jury urged campaign contribution limits and the establishment of an ethics commission to help restore trust in government in an annual report released Wednesday.

The 2008-09 grand jury final report -- a nonbinding annual review of county government by a panel of private citizens -- focuses on the operations of county departments, agencies and officers.

It includes a section devoted to governmental reform, a major concern of the grand jury because of an ongoing investigation into the assessor's office that has led to the resignation and arrests of former Assessor Bill Postmus and three former aides.

"This attitude of 'anything goes' by a few needs to be changed," foreman Burrell Woodring wrote in his introductory letter.

The report commends a proposal by Supervisor Neil Derry to establish an ethics commission, stating that an "independent and unbiased" panel should be formed.

In his letter, Woodring notes that the proposal could be delayed by budgetary issues but suggests that it may be better in to spend the money now.

Derry estimated the cost at $500,000 a year.

"Unfortunately, for the past five years, the board has expended several million dollars to various lawyers to investigate several ethics violations and accomplish the very thing that a well-financed Ethics Commission would do," Woodring wrote.

Derry said he appreciated the comments and that he hoped it would give the proposal momentum.

But he agreed that the state budget difficulties may make that difficult.

The report also suggests that the county revise its code of ethics to include a provision prohibiting a public official from using his or her office for personal gain. The current code does not address the abuse of office issues raised in investigations of the assessor's office, the report states.

The increasing cost of county supervisorial elections and for other county offices also is scrutinized in the report, which notes that the five supervisors have raised more than $2.2 million in each of the past five years.

"Changing the rules by placing a reasonable limit on contributions by special interest groups and/or individuals will help to restore the public trust of elected and appointed county officials," the report states.

In California, 13 counties and 98 cities have campaign finance reform laws, the report states.

Derry and Supervisor Paul Biane disagreed with the effectiveness of contribution limits, saying they would strengthen third-party spending by independent expenditure committees and favor wealthy candidates.

The report also raises questions about an agreement the county made with Rancho Cucamonga last year to select a developer for a 1,200-acre piece of surplus county flood control land.

The grand jury commended the Board of Supervisors for suspending the deal in May, but questioned why the county is not auctioning off the property to the highest bidder as is normal policy. The report recommends that the county follow that process.

Biane said the property is unique and only by working with a developer can the county determine its true value.

"It's going to need to be treated differently to maximize the benefits to the taxpayers," he said.

Reach Imran Ghori at 951-368-9558 or ighori@PE.com

Grand Jury Report

The San Bernardino County grand jury comments on a number of issues, in addition to restoring trust in government. The jury's report also:

Recommends that statement of economic interest forms listing income and gifts to county officials be filed monthly instead of annually.

Criticizes approval of Supervisor Neil Derry's transition staff budget last August as arbitrary and suggests the county approve a policy for transition staff budgets with an emphasis on minimal staff.

Suggests the county create a policy spelling out qualifications for the public health director.

Criticizes the county's troubled history with a juvenile detention center in Apple Valley that closed in 2007, three years after it opened. The county paid a $2.7 million settlement in March to the firm that operated the facility.

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