By Mandy Feder -- News editor
Updated: 07/09/2010 10:39:33 PM PDT
LAKE COUNTY -- The Lake County Grand Jury released its final report for the year. The Grand Jury report examines Lake County government agencies and citizen complaints.
Lake County's Mental Health Department was under fire for complaints from employees about cramped and unsafe working conditions, tires slashed and lack of support from management.
The Grand Jury reviewed Clearlake's due diligence in consideration of the Lowe's project, stating the city's initial study was more intensive than previous studies done on like businesses in Lake County.
Lake County's cable access station, PEG TV8, received many complaints and a lengthy segment of the report was dedicated to this issue. Community members made allegations that implied censorship. The grand jury looked at the station's contracts, supporting documents manuals and operations in detail and recommended the station update bylaws and policies. It was also recommended that the station hire a paid station manager and a new advisory committee. Additionally, the Grand Jury recommended outside audits take place and legal counsel familiar with public access stations be obtained. There was a suggestion that the Board of Supervisors require an in-depth report from the station every six months and the incoming Grand Jury should provide oversight of the station to ensure the operation of the station is proper.
The County Administrative Office and the Board of Supervisors received the suggestion to avoid misleading statements in budget documents. The final budget book stated that no general fund employees were to be subject to layoff.
The Grand Jury conducted oversight examinations of the Lakeport and Clearlake city councils. This was followed by published questionnaires to be submitted to Lake County Supervisors.
The Grand Jury report's section on the public defender program oversight looks into operations. The two suggestions include recruiting new members to the Public Defender Oversight Committee and rotating the Board of Supervisors' appointment to the committee.
The Grand Jury stated that the Measure I money is a general tax. It was determined the taxpayers were, and still are, confused and may have thought Measure I money was just for roads and streets. It was determined it is not limited to that use.
Using Measure I money as a general source of revenue is correct according to the report. The Grand Jury recommended the city should make improving roads and streets a high priority.
In Clearlake there were complaints about garbage collection and there was a recommendation these services be mandated by the city of Clearlake.
There were a slew of complaints regarding county departments and agencies. Many allegations were unsubstantiated, however.
Suggestions regarding appropriate behavior or advanced follow-up were common in this area.
Grand jurors for the 2009-10 year included Foreman Fred Christensen, Kathleen Bisaccio, Rose Marie Blackwell, Rudy Brunner, Kevin Byrnes, Venoma Gill, Larry Heine, Dave Johnson, Marilyn Johnson, Judith Steele Lanfranco, Gerald Morehouse, Phillip Myers, Jack Scialabba, Diane Trudeau, secretary, Carol Vedder, and Sunol Westergren. The grand jury's committees conducted interviews, gathered data and took sworn testimony and the resulting reports were presented to the entire panel for comments.
The Grand Jury report includes oversight reports of county departments and offices. The 2009-10 report will be available at www.co.lake.ca.us.
Mandy Feder can be reached at 263-5636 ext. 32 or at mandyfeder@yahoo.com.
http://www.record-bee.com/ci_15482366
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