[Yolo County] Safety regarding food trucks ‘lacking in accountability’

Food Truck Mania is a well-known monthly event in Woodland, drawing crowds downtown to try various cuisine.

However, the meals coming from those trucks may not be what they seem.

The Yolo County Grand Jury conducted an investigation of countywide food safety procedures regarding food trucks and found the system “lacking in accountability.”

While Food Truck Mania started more than a year ago, Yolo County employees have recently embarked on their own truck-themed event in the atrium of the county administrative building.

What started as a small lunchtime endeavor has expanded to more than 150 county employees, utilizing food trucks from local restaurants and partnering with BlackPine Catering in Woodland.

Members of the Grand Jury identified this influx of mobile food trucks, prompting their investigation.

According to the Thursday report, the Environmental Health Specialist has limited enforcement capability when it comes to more serious violations.

“Inspectors are in a position to teach the food truck operators how to bring everything to code, but not to ticket or fine,” the report states. “Because they do not perform inspections, or inspections while in operation, unless a complaint is made, the county does not know if any given food truck is following all requirements.”

The Grand Jury also found that non-permitted food trucks operate during non-business hours with little fear of being caught, food truck operators who are out of compliance are not ticketed or fined, and that the current system for locating food trucks is not working.

To help improve this system, the Grand Jury made the following recommendations:

• The Director of Planning, Public Works and Environmental Services, in conjunction with the Director of the Environmental Health Services Division and the Director of Human Resources, shall implement a plan to alter work hours so that food truck inspections can routinely take place while in operation including weekends and evenings by Dec. 31, 2015.

• The Director of Planning, Public Works and Environmental Services, in conjunction with County Counsel, shall determine and implement the necessary steps to enable inspectors to ticket or fine food truck operators who are out of compliance by Oct. 1, 2015.

• The Director of Planning, Public Works and Environmental Services, in conjunction with County Counsel and the Board of Supervisors, shall implement the use of GPS technology on food trucks by July 1, 2016.

June 27, 2015

Daily Democrat

By Democrat Staff