James Faulk/The Times-Standard
Posted: 08/19/2009 01:15:33 AM PDT
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a response to a recent Grand Jury report that looked into the county's Community Development Services Department and accusations that it's inefficiently operated and that some employees there have acted inappropriately.
The Grand Jury points out that reform within the department was started in 2005 with the establishment of the Permit Reform Committee, which over the following year developed 16 reform initiatives that began implementation. The momentum, however, has fizzled, the jury's report points out.
”Unfortunately, the Permit Reform Committee has not continued to meet regularly and has not completed its work,” the report states.
The report then commends the department for the undertaking, and acknowledges that “increased responsibilities assigned to CDS in recent years have made it difficult to continue the implementation.”
But the public remains concerned about the process, and more reforms are necessary, the report state in its recommendations.
The report also outlines the concerns of some in the
community that employees within the department favor slow growth for Humboldt County and have pursued that “biased agenda” in the course of their work.
Referring to a specific accusation of such behavior through omission in a recent proposed ordinance amendment, the jury said mistaken information was given to the Planning Commission and could have impacted its decision in the matter.
The jury recommended an online permit tracking system to allow applicants the chance to monitor their projects. The department's Web site is currently housing some misinformation, or missing data, the jury concludes, and a thorough review is necessary.
Additionally, the director of CDS, Kirk Girard, should ensure that codes in staff reports are quoted fully or that deletions are clearly noted.
In its response, the county pointed out that reform implementation continues.
”The board continues to monitor the effectiveness of the reforms implemented and most recently received an update from the Community Development Services director at its March 24, 2009 meeting on the largest reform initiative currently in progress,” the response states. That initiative is a tracking system similar to the one recommended by the jury.
The reform committee, meanwhile, will reconvene in October, the county said in its response. And the Web site is in the process of being reviewed and updated.
In other business, the county sent a letter to the state Fish and Game Commission requesting that a meeting of the commission be held in Eureka.
”While we understand budget constraints, we feel that the northern counties do deserve a scheduled meeting,” the letter from board Chairman Jimmy Smith states. “As you are aware, Humboldt and Del Norte counties have most of the salmon and steelhead trout in the state and are leaders in watershed restoration. We have an abundance of sportsmen and healthy commercial and recreational fisheries that deserve attention.”
Lastly, the Public Health Branch of the county Department of Health and Human Services set Sept. 22 as the date for a public hearing on the proposed reduction of services at Willow Creek Clinic.
”A reduction in Public Health Realignment funding during the 2009-2010 fiscal year forced the re-examination of programming throughout the Public Health Branch,” said the staff report.
The elimination of the one-day-a-week Adult/Women's Reproductive Health Clinic at Willow Creek Clinic will save the department $64,000 -- no small change in tough times.
Public Health Branch Director Susan Buckley said that even with the cost savings, the county would keep the services available if there weren't five other providers already doing the job in eastern Humboldt County.
”If the other providers are there and able to serve the community, it's best for us to step out,” she said.
Other services at the clinic will continue without change, she said.
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_13156904
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