HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02141995 - 1.74 7
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on February 14, 1995 by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Smith, DeSaulnier, Torlakson, Bishop
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
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SUBJECT: Grand Jury Report 95-01
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that Grand Jury Report 95-01 of the
1994-1995 Contra Costa County Grand Jury is REFERRED to the County
Administrator and Internal Operations Committee.
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: �1/ti w 1��—/41 /17=
PHIL BATCHELOR, 56rk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
BY ,Deputv
cc: County Administrator
Grand Jury
Internal Operations Committee
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Ca
COLOY
February 6, 1995
MEMCR1hIDUM
To: Members of tate Press and Other Interested Parties
From: The 1994-95 Contra Costa County Grans Jury
Re: Public Release of Grand Jury Report 95-01
entitled: '"Contra Costa County, Commendable Cost Cutting;
`Cutting The Pat'
Today, we are pleased to release the above entitled report for your information.
Individual copies of this report are available at the counter of the Offioe of the Grand Jury,
Room 108 of the Courthouse, 1024 Ward street, Martinez, CA.
Questions regarding this report or any matter concerning the Grand Jury should be directed
to the Foreman of the Grand Jury: Clyde Parkhurst, in care of the abovementioned address
or at (510) 646-2345.
Thank you for your interest.
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19LECOMMUNICATION--Gt3VER PAGE
PLEASE DELIVER THE FOLLOWING PAGE($) TO:
NAME., Phil Batchelor
FROM: THE 1994-G6 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY
REPORT NAME & NUMBER: Commendable cost Cutting - "Cutting the Fat" 95-01
TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES TRANSMITTED INCLUDING THIS COVER PAGE* 7
DATE: 2/7195 TIME: 9AM
HARDCOPY WH FOLLOW BY US MAA,; X YES NO VIA CLERK OF
THE BOARD
MESSAGE:
An advance copy of our first report. it will be issued to the public
on Wednesday 218/95.
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A REPORT BY
THE 1994-95 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY
1020 Ward Stoat
Martlne4 CA 94553
(510)646-2345
Report No. 9501
Contra Costa County
Commendaft Cad Cuffing
'Cuffing the for
Approved by the Grand Jurf.
Ctydh Parkhurst
Grand Jury Forwrian
Accepted for FIlIns:
Jo F.VanDvP*Q
0;Val
Jud ►of the Superfor court
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SECTION 933 (C) OF THE CALIFORNIA MNAL CODE
§933. Comments and Reports on Grand Jury
Recommendations.
(c) No later than 90 days after the grand jury submits
a final report on the, operations of any public agency
subject to its reviewing authority, the governing body of
the public agency shall comment to the presiding judge
of the superior court on the findings and recommendations
pertaining to matters under the control of the governing
body, and every elective county officer or agency head
for which the grand jury has responsibility pursuant to
Section 914.1 shall comment within 60 days to the
presiding judge of the superior court,with an 111fortylltiOn
copy wet to the board of supervisors,on the Wings and
recommendations pertaining to matters under the control
of that county officer or agency head and any agency or
agencies which that officer or agency he-ad supervises or
controls. In any city and county, the mayor shall also
comment on the find nes and rccommendatio= All such
comments and reports shall forthwith be submitted to the
presiding judge of the superior court who impaneled the_
grand jury. A copy of all responses to grand jury reports
shall be placed on file with the clerk of the public agency
and the office of the county clerk. or the mayor when
applicable, and shall remain on file in those offices. One
copy shall be placed on file with the applicable grand jury
final report by, and in the control of the currently impan-
eled grand jury, where it shall be maintained for a
minimum of five years. Leg.H. 1961 ch. 1284, 1963 ch.
674, 1974 chs. 393, 1396, 1977 chs. 107, 187. 1980 ch.
543, 1981 ch. 203, 1982 ch. 1408 §5, 1985 ch- 221 §1,
effective, July 12.'1995, 1987 ch. 690 §1, 1998 ch. 1297.
Cross-References
Admissible evidence. Penal Code §939.6,
"Grand jury" defined. Penal Code-§888.
Grand jury report to be based only on own investigation_ Penal
Code §939.9.
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COMMENDABLE
COMMENDABi„E COST CUTTING
CUTTING THE FAT
Si.{MMARY:
On June 28, 1994, The County Board of Supervisors took appropriate and commendable
action in abolishing Resolution 881'63 which provided for paid time off for county employees
elected or appointed to public office. The abolished policy is a prime example of the kind of
wasteful and luxuriant spending of increasingly more limited county-taxpayer funds that must
be sought out and eliminated. The Board should put forth this action as an example and
create and empower an independent commission to review and make recommendations for
similar spending cuts.
yNTRODUCTIONa
In 1986, riding the crest of public financial comfort and stability, the Board of Supervisors
adopted a personnel policy which would allow Contra Costa County employees to utilize "up
to two (2) hours per weep or eight (8) hours per month of paid time off to attend soheduled
meetings" of the particular public agency they were appointed or elected to serve upon. To
qualify these provisions had to apply (paraphrased):
1) Office had to be within Contra.Costa County or be a State Agency, exercising
statewide jurisdiction.
2) One week of the employee's annual vacation time had to be used up first.
S) Time off had to be approved and found appropriate by the employee's
particular County Department,
4) The employee had to give 24 hour notice of the time off.
5) The paid time off could only be used to attend those "scheduled meetings" of
the public agency to which the employee served "without pay" and not for
campaigning or fund raising.
Subsequently, in June of 1994, a Contra Costa Courrty Supervisor proposed to increase and
liberalize this personnel policy as follows:
1) Increase the allowable paid time off from two (2) to four (4) hours per week and
from a maximum of eight (8) to twenty (20) hours per month.
2) Delete the requirement to utilize the first weep of the employee's vacation time
first.
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3) Remove the criteria of determination that the paid time off be used "in the public
interest and the interesse of the County".
4) Delete the restriction that the activity/meeting attended must be without
compensation.
5) Allow unrestricted accumulation of available time off from month to month and
year to year.
The Board referred the item to the County Administrator for review. On July 26, 1994, the
County Administrator recommended that the Board abolish the policy and Resolution 88/63.
The Board unanimously agreed.
FINDINGS.:
1) Contra Costa County, like most all other publicly funded agencies, must face
continuing cutbacks in available funding for eodWng programs and basic
operations.
2) Contra Costa County has been forced to eliminate many positions and valued
community programs due to these growing financial restrictions.
3) The majority of County employees have faced minimal cost of living salary
adjustmerrts due to the current mode of austerity.
4) Many entities in private industry do not provide paid time off to serve in elected
or appointed office to their employees.,
5), Many of the appointed and/or elected positions served by this policy could also
pay the individual a stipend or fee which equates to double compensation at
the taxpayers' expense.
6) Serving in appointed or elected office is by CHOICE and not by necesslty,
therefore the employer (in this case the County) stands no obligation to provide
financial support.
7) Taking time away from an already overworked county employee's work day
places a burden on other overworked county employees who must pick up the
slack.
8) There is no focused independent body established to review existing County
fiscal policies and spending.
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C.QN LIJC ONS:
The 19945 Contra Costa Grand ,fury concludes that:
1) The proposal put forth by a Supervisor to expand and liberalize a wasteful use
of scarce resources was inappropriate in relationship to the County's current
and projected financial standings.
2) The County Admirdstrator and the Board of Supervisors should be commended
for their swift action to repeal. Resolution 88/63.
Rgg3M)li+IfENOa►TIONS:
The 199495 Contra Costa Grand Flury recommends that:
1) The Board of Supervisors continue to seek out and abolish the kind of wasteful
spending exhibited by the policies of Resolution 88/83.
2) The Board of Supervisors seek these spending cuts as a priority above arry
further cutbacks in programs or positions.
3) Within 30 days, the County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors launch a
formal investigation to identify those who have utilized the Resolution 88/83
policy, to determine if instances of double compensation have occurred and to
seek corrective action.
COlu MEn
The County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors could benefit greatly from outside
review of County fiscal policies and spending. We suggest the Board of Supervisors create
and empower an independent commission of private industry advisors and individuals
familiar with public administration. This commission should review County fiscal policies and
spending to maks recommendations for change that will assist all the residents of the County
to be assured that their tax dollar is well spent in Contra Costa County.
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