(Amador) County issues grand jury response

By Matthew Hedger

The Amador County Board of Supervisors has issued a response to the findings and recommendations contained in the 2010-11 grand jury report.

Of the 18 findings and five recommendations listed by the grand jury, county leaders agreed with the jurors thirteen times, partially agreed thrice, disagreed with two of their findings, and implemented three of the recommendations.

In the area of Health and Human Services, the board agreed with jury members who said full-service partnerships and independent agencies are essential for the operation of both the health and social service departments, and that both close cooperation and communication between health, social services, the food stamp program and independent agencies are necessary for maximizing available moneys.

The board only partially agreed that a decrease in Mental Health Services Act funding should reduce core services in the health services area, with responsibilities shifting and combining among staff, resulting in a reduction of administrative costs.

A response penned by Health and Human Services head Kristen Bengyel noted that, as day-to-day work increases, necessary functions and follow-up must continue and will impact services if staffing is reduced.

“The solution lies in finding that midpoint between service provision and administration demands and maintaining it for the most efficient use of staff and timely provision of services,” wrote Bengyel.

Supervisors also agreed that some job descriptions in HHS have been blended to include a variety of duties, that both departments pursue every appropriate source of revenue and utilize every possible allocation to the last penny, and that, due to the uncertainty of both federal and state budgets, planning for future needs is made more difficult.

The board also agreed that Amador County’s “minimal allocation” status for MHSA funding based on population is less significant than for other, more-populated counties, and that the anticipated needs for an increased homeless population are unknown at this time.

A recommendation by the grand jury to consider a regional program for researching and applying for grant funding with other rural counties has been implemented, according to the official response, but recommendations to update the county’s website to reflect departmental changes and one to revise the terms of the lease of the HHS building were not.

Over at the Amador County Detention Facility, the board agreed with findings that the philosophy of Sheriff Martin Ryan’s administration is to treat inmates with dignity and to provide a safe and secure environment, although, because of overcrowding, the safety and security of staff, inmates and visitors are at risk.

Supervisors also agreed that antiquated jailhouse monitoring equipment has made it increasingly difficult to find repair personnel, that there is no longer a Community Work Crew because of staffing shortages, that booking fees reimbursed by the state do not adequately offset costs, that the sheriff’s office has continued to pursue funding for a new jail facility, and that morale of the staff is better due to the efforts to continue to try to move forward with that effort.

The board disagreed with a finding that deputies are forced to work in the jail to make up for understaffing, causing fewer deputies to be assigned to patrol duties, and that criteria used in a program to determine whether non-violent felons should be released from jail early is not being implemented successfully because the ACSO is unable to track persons once they are released from custody.

The response, written by Undersheriff Jim Wegner, said the ACSO has not and does not use deputies from patrol to supplement jail staffing needs, and that it is not the responsibility of the jail personnel to monitor inmates who have been released from custody.

Supervisors partially disagreed with a finding that classes for inmates are currently being held in the library and in hallways, with some activities no longer available because of staffing constraints.

“The Amador County jail began to annually exceed its maximum rated bed capacity in 2003,” wrote Wegner. “Due to the fact that space for today’s required programming was not factored into the original 1984 jail design, inmate programs are being provided in the halls and library as well as in the visiting area …”

The response goes on to note that regardless of space and/or staffing issues, the personnel at the Amador County Jail meet and exceed the state-mandated standards, none of which have been eliminated due to staffing constraints.

The ACSO will continue to work on the two recommendations issued in its direction by the grand jury: It will continue to pursue funding for a new jail facility and will petition the state to reimburse the total amount of booking fees due to be repaid by the state.

http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/2011/09/16/county-issues-grand-jury-response/