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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08031993 - IO.2 I _ O TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Internal Operations Committee Costa x County DATE: August 3, 1993 SUBJECT: Proposed Response to the 1992-93 Grand Jury Reports No. 9306, No. 9307, and No. 9310. SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)`&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION Adopt this report of our Committee as the Board of Supervisors ' response to the 1992-93 Grand Jury Reports #9306, "Status of the County Fleet Management; #9307, "Contra Costa County Alternate Defender Office" ;: and #9310, "KPMG Peat Marwick Audit Report. " BACKGROUND On May 6, 1993 the Grand Jury filed reports #9306, #9307 and #9310 which were referred by the Board of Supervisors to the County Administrator and. Internal Operations committee. On July 26, 1993 our Committee 'met to discuss the recommendations and review proposed responses . At the conclusion of those discussions, we prepared this report utilizing a format, suggested by a former Grand Jury, which clearly specifies : a. Whether the recommendation is accepted or adopted; b. If the recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date; C. A delineation of constraints - if a recommendation is accepted . but cannot; be implemented within the calendar year; and d. The reason for not adopting a recommendation. x CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER` _I SIGNATURE(S): SUNNE WRIGHT MC P� JEFF SMITH r ACTION OF BOARD ON uguS , APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON TH ATE SHOWN. G ATTESTED 7 Dean Lucas 646-4077 Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,C RK OF THE BOARD OF cc: County Administrator SUPERVISORS AND OUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Presiding Judge of Superior Court Grand Jury Foreman General Services Department Public Defender BYDEPUTY Status of the County Fleet Management Report Number 9306 RECOMMENDATIONS The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors : 1 . Direct Fleet Management to complete a study to measure the savings that would be realized by its owning all county vehicles and leasing them to the various general-funded departments . The study should incorporate departments being charged on a depreciation schedule that would allow savings over the life of individual vehicles for replacement costs . The study should be completed before January 1994 . RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted. b) Management Service Institute, Inc. completed a study of the General Services Department, including a specific study of Fleet Management, in June 1992 . Implementation of the study' s recommendations are being held in abeyance pending availability of funds . In fact, the depreciation fund for Sheriff ' s vehicles had to be used to sustain Sheriff ' s operations . ' 2 . Require that Fleet Management costs be compared, on an ongoing basis, to private garages, and when similar services can be provided by private vendors at less cost, work be let out by contract based on the lowest responsible bid. RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted as modified. b) Currently, some of the Fleet Management work is contracted out. Engine and transmission overhauls, large welding jobs, body work, painting, and radiator recores are contracted out. Cost comparisons will continue to be made. Any further contracting out of work is a "meet and confer" process with the employee organization. Furthermore, Government Code § 31000, regarding contracting out of maintenance, must be considered. We are all concerned that we be as competitive as possible to . meet the services provided by private vendors . Sheriff patrol vehicles and public works equipment receive the top priority from Fleet Management. We cannot be assured of meeting the same priority, particularly on an emergency basis, if services for these vehicles are contracted out. 3. Explore more efficient assignment of tasks such as having mechanics assigned to service similar make vehicles on a routine basis rather than rotating assignments based on arrival of vehicles . RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted. b) Assigning Mechanics to similar services on a routine basis rather than rotating assignments based on arrival of vehicles is being done informally. Some mechanics work more on heavy equipment, while some do electronic jobs, and other specialize in other work. However, it should be noted that all employees need to be able to service all vehicles and equipment that comes into the Shop. 4 . Enjoin Fleet Management to expedite installation of the new computer program for record maintenance. RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted. b) There has been a delay by the vendor because the costs for computers have dropped so much that there is a long wait. ''The system will be implemented as soon as the equipment is shipped from the manufacturer. The General Services Director is to report to the County Administrator when this has been accomplished and send copies of his report to the Grand Jury and the Board members . 5 . Acknowledged experts should be engaged to consult with Architectural Services in the design of the new garage to insure inclusion of all recent advances made in garage architecture. Plans for the new garage should incorporate planning for the growth of the County's fleet needs for the next 20 years . RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted as modified. b) The Architectural Services Division has been working on a pre-design for a new Fleet Service Center in the event that the Shell Avenue Corporation Yard is sold. A new facility will be based on available funding. Anew Shop will be combined with Building Maintenance, offering economies of scale by having the two General Services divisions co-located to the fueling facility. The General Services Director is directed to report to the Internal Operations Committee by the end of December, 1993 on the status of the new garage. 6 . Expedite planning and construction of the garage to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the Fleet Management. RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted. 7 . Establish industry-based standards of productivity for Fleet Management mechanics . RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted. b) Establishing industry based standards of productivity for Fleet Management Mechanics is a goal of the Public Fleet Managers Association in California. A consultant has been obtaining information from Fleet Managers, both public and private, to develop common standards that can be used by public fleets. This should provide some assistance to the Fleet Management Division to develop more formal standards of productivity for public fleet work. The General Services Director is to report back to the Internal Operations Committee by the end of December, 1993 on a timetable for establishing productivity standards for the mechanics . 8. Explore alternative providers for the routine oil change and service of vehicles by Fleet Management mechanics . RESPONSE: a) This recommendation is accepted. b) Exploring alternative providers for routine oil change and service of vehicles is something that has been suggested previously, and in response the Fleet Management Division developed an "A Level" service to do the routine oil changes for sedans . Departments can schedule their vehicles, have them serviced, and leave within approximately 30 minutes . In addition to the oil change and service, the Fleet Management staff also looks at potential safety hazards such as bald tires, worn hoses, and other minor problems which could become major problems . Contra Costa County Alternate Defender Office Report Number 9307 RECOMMENDATIONS: The 1992-93 County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors : 1 . Continue its support and overseeing of the Alternate Defender Office of the office of Public Defender. RESPONSE: This recommendation is accepted. 2 . Evaluate granting official departmental status to the ADO. RESPONSE: a) This recommendation cannot be accepted with respect to granting separate departmental status . We are, however, supportive of the report in that it has brought this issue to the attention of the Public Defender. b) Departmental status is contrary to the concept of an Alternate Defender Office. The ADO must be part of the Public Defender' s Office and organized pursuant to guidelines established by relevant case law. The Alternate Defenders Office will be an on-going budgeted item that has sufficient ethical walls to insure proper defense of individuals. The emphasis on the Alternate Defenders Office will only be diminished on an overall budget cut. However, we will endeavor to continue the operation as a savings benefit for the taxpayers . 3. Require the monitoring of case decisions arising out of ADO- defended cases, either in this county or elsewhere in the state. RESPONSE: This recommendation is accepted. Monitoring all cases, including those in the ADO, is the responsibility of the Public Defender and is ongoing. KPMG Peat Marwick Audit Report Report Number 9310 RECOMMENDATION: The 1992-93 Grand Jury recommends that the County Administrator work with the Auditor/Controller to insure the timely completion of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. If necessary, the assignment of additional personnel should be considered to assist in accomplishing its timely completion. RESPONSE: This recommendation is accepted for the 1992-93 fiscal year. ' Office of COUNTY AUDITOR-CONTROLLER Contra Costa County Martinez, California May 17, 1993 TO: Scott Tandy, Chief Assistant County Administrator FROM: Kenneth J. Corcoran, Auditor-Controller SUBJECT: Response to Grand Jury Report: KPMG Peat Marwick Audit Report On February 5 1993 we responded to the KPMG Peat Marwick Management Letter as follows: "The production of the CAFR is not a mandated requirement for the Auditor-Controller. Since the County is faced with severe budget cuts, the Auditor-Controller's Office is evaluating our statutory requirements and the ability to allocate staff to the CAFR process." We still believe that if we are required to meet a 40% budget reduction for 1993-94, we may no longer be able to perform non-mandated accounting services such as the CAFR. Recently we reorganized our department to ensure that we have sufficient technical resources available to prepare the CAFR for the 1992-93 fiscal year. However, we will be understaffed in the clerical area again this year. Please call me at extension 6-2181 if you have any questions regarding this matter. KJC:pm AC93-63