Thread: Report slams officials' ethics, hiring practices

http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208 ... 51,00.html

Report slams officials' ethics, hiring practices

By Jacob Ogles, Staff Writer

In a written assault upon the ethics of the Board of Supervisors and the security of government facilities, the San Bernardino County grand jury released a report Friday recommending significant reforms in county government.

The 99-page annual report, assembled by an independent citizens' commission appointed to serve a year investigating county practices, also suggested providing tax savings for seniors moving to the county, called for improved training to attack gang violence and complained of a reluctance to tackle immigration issues.

Some of the most scathing critiques were delivered to the county's top elected officials. The county supervisors' acceptance of gifts and hiring procedures was targeted as a weak point in government's credibility with the public.

"The hiring of friends and family exists throughout the county,' the report reads. "Currently there is no public oversight of the hiring practices by the individual members of the Board of Supervisors.'

Because of questionable hiring decisions in the past year, jury members wrote that an independent commission should be established to review all hires by supervisors.

The report goes on to recommend a no-gift policy for supervisors. The elected officials are allowed to accept up to $360 in gifts annually from any individual source, but they have not been adhering to that limit. Though an outright ban on accepting gifts may be difficult to enforce, grand jury members write that receipt of gifts has "the effect of eroding public confidence.'

Jury foreman Robert Burkhardt declined to point out any specific incidences of violations, and the report left statements broad and vague.

"That's just the way the report comes out,' he said. "But we wouldn't put anything in there that wasn't fact.'

The jury recommended that County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer present accountability reports to the supervisors twice a year, and said one of the executive's responsibilities should be "to restore integrity and credibility to the county of San Bernardino.'

The handling of weapons at the Sheriff's Department also came under fire. The department keeps firearms in a warehouse with no alarm system or security cameras. The jury suggested moving those weapons out of the custody of the public guardian and securing them in the property room of local law enforcement departments.

"I think the findings were all very thorough, and I agree with them,' Sheriff Gary Penrod said. "We're understaffed and stacked to the walls with equipment, people and evidence.'

Gang violence also was discussed at length, in terms of county law enforcement. Because San Bernardino County ranks third in California for gang activity, the report recommends special training for deputies regarding those issues and the expansion of a gang unit in the District Attorney's Office.

Inmate capacity also was criticized. The West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center in Devore and Central Detention Center in San Bernardino are significantly beyond their legal population levels on a daily basis. Penrod also said he was pleased the grand jury pointed out problems with the roads leading into the Glen Helen facility.

Penrod said he would like to implement all of the law enforcement-related recommendations in the report but would need budget support from the supervisors to do so.

"It's all financial, so it's all through the board,' he said.

The report also lists a number of recommendations for the Animal Care and Control Department, though some of the problems have already been acted on.

County Public Health Director Jim Felten said that even before the report came out describing animal control offices as small and cluttered, plans were made to move to roomier quarters.

The Sheriff's Department assessed the facilities earlier this year and identified many of the safety concerns that appear in the report, Felten said.

"In terms of the security issues, we were very well aware of most of these,' Felten said.

Felten said he was also concerned about the number of animals stolen from the shelter 17 between July 2004 and April 2005. Often, a pet owner whose animal has been impounded balks at paying the fee and returns late at night and steals the pet, Felten said.

"We have fencing high chain-link. But probably no matter what we do, people will find a way,' he said.

The agency had already started complying with those relatively cheap and easy-to-do recommendations, Felten said.

Animal control relies on the supervisors for funding as well as shelter fees and donations to a newly formed foundation.

"There's nothing surprising here,' Felten said of the report. "Funding is always an issue.'

In terms of taxes, the grand jury recommended the county adopt Proposition 90, which could provide some relief to residents older than 55 who move to smaller homes. The proposition, on the books since 1988, would allow qualifying residents to transfer their property value to a new property, avoiding an increase in taxes when moving to a smaller home that may be appraised at a higher price.

Harlow Cameron, chief appraiser for the county Appraiser's Office, said the idea may have political support but could create a compounding loss of revenue.

When it was considered about five years ago, he said, the office estimated more than $400 million would be lost in the first year, and the losses could grow exponentially afterward because many new property owners would pay less in property taxes. He also noted that while Orange and Los Angeles counties still have the proposition in effect, Riverside County recently opted out of the law after having it in place for several years.

"It wouldn't take long before it had some impact here,' Cameron said.

Though no immigration-related recommendations were made to any specific agency, Burkhardt said the county should crack down on problems coming from Mexico.

"Illegal immigration causes the county of San Bernardino an unknown amount of funds to cover mandated requirements provided for in the county budget,' Burkhardt wrote in the foreman's statement. "Verification of a person's lawful immigration status is a mandatory eligibility requirement for most public benefit programs. The county counsel has found no federal or state laws, rules or memorandum that would prohibit or restrict an inquiry into a person's immigration status with regard to public benefit programs.' Staff writer Nikki Cobb contributed to this report.

"Illegal immigration causes the county of San Bernardino an unknown amount of funds to cover mandated requirements provided for in the county budget,' Burkhardt wrote in the foreman's statement. "Verification of a person's lawful immigration status is a mandatory eligibility requirement for most public benefit programs. The county counsel has found no federal or state laws, rules or memorandum that would prohibit or restrict an inquiry into a person's immigration status with regard to public benefit programs.'

"County counsel has found NO federal or state laws, rules or memorandum that would prohibit or restrict an inquiry into a person's immigration status with regard to public benefit programs".

Well....Hallelujah!!!

GO SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY!!!

Take Action; "INQUIRE". DO NOT fund illegal aliens; instead "inquire", uncover, report, deport!!

CLEAN IT UP CALIFORNIA!!