Deficiencies in local government and highlights of jobs being done well
Auburn, Calif.- Placer County and cities within Placer County have provided their responses to the recommendations contained in the Placer County Grand Jury Report. You may read the report and responses below. They may also be downloaded.
The Placer County Grand Jury is an investigatory body with the authority to act as a watchdog on local government, investigate citizen complaints, and assist in criminal matters at the request of the district attorney.
Confidential process
Grand jurors are sworn to secrecy and, other than final reports, their work is kept strictly confidential. The current grand jury was impaneled on July 11, 2022, and have worked for the past twelve months investigating government operations of the county plus special districts and cities within the county. Today's release of the 2022-2023 Placer County Grand Jury Final Report is the culmination of a year's work by nineteen dedicated Placer County citizens.
This year's Placer County Grand Jury Final Report contains nine individual reports which review local government operations. Reports on annual inspections of the county's jails and juvenile detention facility are included. While the juvenile detention facility was found to be clean and well run, there were issues with cleanliness at both the Auburn and Roseville jails.
Mental health & Veterans
The 2022-2023 grand jury examined the mental health services provided by the school districts to the children in our community. Resources for parents are included in the report. The services provided to our veterans residing in the county were reviewed. The grand jury found staffing and funding were major issues for Veterans Services Office.
Animal Services
The grand jury commended the Placer County Animal Services department for a job well done, especially during the wildfires of 2022. The closures of two modern fire stations in south Placer County was investigated to clarify the justification for the closures. The expenditures by county, town, and cities on the homeless situation were also explored by the jury.
Barbara Ferguson, who served as foreperson of this year's grand jury, stated "I am very proud of the work the grand jury has done this year. The topics investigated are timely and relevant to the citizens of our county. The grand jury speaks with one voice, and these reports document the outcome of many hours of work volunteered by nineteen dedicated Placer County citizens. Our investigations discovered many instances where government is functioning properly, and we are pleased to recognize this."
"Deficiencies in local government operations are also documented and we hope these reports will lead to improvements that benefit the citizens of Placer County."
Barbara Ferguson