Butte County Grand Jury investigates jail overcrowding, realignment, water, cities

By RYAN OLSON — Staff Writer, Chico Enterprise-Record -

In its annual report published today, the Butte County Grand Jury investigated a dozen topics including prison realignment, water resources and issues facing local cities.

In the Grand Jury's investigation of the city of Chico, the panel noted city management had provided financial data that was "outdated, incomplete and misleading" and called for the city to be more transparent in budgeting and financial matters. It also found the city was slow to respond to the loss of redevelopment funding and other revenue.

READ 2012-13 Grand Jury report
VISIT the Grand Jury website

A longer look at Chico's issues will be included in Saturday's Enterprise-Record.

In two separate sections, the panel evaluated the Butte County Jail and how prison realignment under Assembly Bill 109 has exacerbated overcrowding at the facility. The long-term housing of non-violent felons in the jail has also led to sometimes excessive waits for medical and dental care.

The Grand Jury noted alternative custody programs are effective at reducing overcrowding and recommended a system to track the effectiveness of the programs. It also recommended that the Butte County Sheriff's Office seek funding to expand the jail and find interim housing to house inmates until the expansion is completed.

The Grand Jury also conducted a thorough look at water resources in the county, including supply. It found local districts and agencies are efficient in water distribution.

However, the panel also noted that the public needed to be aware of potential problems that could jeopardize the local water supply. It highlighted the decline of the elevation of the Tuscan Aquifer, a lack of storage capacity and increasing demand to export the water from the county.

Both these issues will be reported on in greater depth in the next couple of days as well.

Each year, the Grand Jury investigates and reports on county and local governments. When called upon, local agencies must prepare responses to the panel's findings.

The Grand Jury also investigates citizen complaints and may be called to hear evidence in criminal cases for possible indictment.

The publication of the report this morning in Butte County Superior Court was the final action of the 19 members of the 2012-13 panel.

Acting presiding Judge Kristen Lucena released the jurors from their service and oversaw the installation of a new panel for the upcoming year.

Regarding the report, the judge noted it covered a number of topics and said people will find it informative.

Outgoing foreman Paul Moore said the county will see the jurors had prepared a good report and hoped future grand juries and agencies would build on their findings.

He also noted presiding Judge Stephen Benson informed him that this was the first Grand Jury in years where all the jurors were able to serve the entire year.

Each year, the court appoints several alternate jurors in the likelihood that some jurors will step down.