Final Report of the

Grand Jury of

Mariposa County

2006- 2007

June 4, 2007

1

PREFACE

Each finding and recommendation made by the Mariposa County Grand Jury is made as a

single body and requires that at least 8 of the 11 members concur in each decision. A

member with a conflict of interest abstains from the discussions and voting for that

particular issue. No one individual has greater power or authority than any other member

of the grand jury. The Foreperson is selected by the presiding Judge and is designated to

run the meetings and sign letters on behalf of the Mariposa County Grand Jury as a body.

The Foreperson has no other influence or authority over the other members of the grand

jury.

Each member of the Mariposa County Grand Jury swears at the beginning of his or her

term to protect the confidentiality of the grand jury proceedings, both during and after the

term of service. None are allowed to reveal the nature or content of the discussion or

votes of the grand jury.

We certify that each investigation received the statutorily required number of votes

( Penal Code Sections 916 and 940).

Witt O. Hawkins, Jr. Anthony C. Brochini

Ashley D. Gillett John J. Caceres

Jill Louise Craig Nancy Carol Schulz

Carol Doris Skyrud Jane Lynn Leach

Dina L. Lambert Courtney Ours Roberts

Bill Parker

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PREFACE 1

MAJOR INVESTIGATIONS 3

MARIPOSA COUNTY ASSESSOR: MAY 15, 2006 COMPLAINT 3

MARIPOSA COUNTY ASSESSOR: MAY 21, 2006 COMPLAINT 6

MARIPOSA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND

RECOVERY SERVICES – OCTOBER 1, 2006 COMPLAINT 9

MARIPOSA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL – JANUARY 16, 2007 COMPLAINT 12

ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, TOURS, AND VISITS 15

MARIPOSA COUNTY DETENTION CENTER – NOVEMBER 8, 2006 FACILITY INSPECTION 15

MARIPOSA COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER – JANUARY 29, 2007 FACILITY

INSPECTION 18

MARIPOSA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM REVIEW – APRIL 23, 2007 20

GRAND JURY ACTIVITY REPORT 22

WORKLOAD OF THE MARIPOSA COUNTY GRAND JURY 22

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAND JURY PROCESS 22

ANALYSIS OF COMMENTS BY THE MARIPOSA COUNTY GRAND JURY 23

SUPPORTING MATERIALS 24

MARIPOSA COUNTY ASSESSOR ( EXHIBITS A – D) 25

MARIPOSA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND

RECOVERY SERVICES ( EXHIBIT E - G) 32

MARIPOSA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL ( EXHIBIT H) 36

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MAJOR INVESTIGATIONS

Mariposa County Assessor: May 15, 2006 Complaint

Summary

A. Synopsis – A complaint was received May 15, 2006 stating that the last ten years of

assessment on APN 018- XXX- XXXX and APN 018- XXX- XXXX was for more than

the 2% limit imposed by Proposition 13.

B. Findings

a. The property tax statements on APN 018- XXX- XXXX and APN 018-

XXX- XXXX list the assessed value under the following categories: Land,

Improvements, Williamson Act Land, and the Homeowner Credit.

b. On September 13, 2006, members of the Mariposa County Grand Jury met

with personnel from the Mariposa County Assessor’s Office. Information

on Proposition 13 and Proposition 8 was requested as well as any

information on the Williamson Act.

c. Proposition 13 was enacted by California voters on June 6, 1978.

Officially called “ People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation”, Prop 13

basically limits assessed values to adjust no more than 2% per year from

the 1st year base value.

d. Proposition 8 passed in November 1978, amended Proposition 13 to

reflect declines in value. As a result, Revenue & Taxation Code Section

51 requires the Assessor to annually enroll either a property’s Proposition

13 base year value factored for inflation, or its Market Value as of January

1 ( taking into account any factors causing a decline in value), whichever is

less. Prop 8 reductions in value are temporary reductions, which

recognize the fact that the current market value of a property has fallen

below its current ( Prop 13) assessed value.

i. Once a Prop 8 value has been enrolled, a property’s value must be

reviewed each following January 1st, to determine whether its then

current market value is less than its Prop 13 factored value.

ii. When and if the Market Value of the Prop 8 property increases

above its Prop 13 factored value, the Assessor will once again

enroll its Prop 13 factored value.

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iii. Prop 8 values can change from year to year as the market

fluctuates up and down, but in no case may a value higher than a

property’s Prop 13 factored value be enrolled.

e. Proposition 8 Important Points.

i. The Assessor can only consider the market value as of the lien date

( January 1st).

ii. The Mariposa County Assessors office will determine the market

value of a property by analyzing sales of comparable properties in

the area and other pertinent data.

iii. When supplying information the comparable sales must be no later

than 90 days after the lien date, but there is no limit as to how far

backwards in time a comparable sale may be.

iv. Prop 8 relief ( Revenue and Taxation Code Section 51) is specific

to the January 1 fair market value and does not allow for relief

pertaining to other dates. As a result, supplemental assessments

are not addressed when Prop 8 relief is sought.

f. The Williamson Act is the California Land Conservation Act that was

enacted in 1965. The California Legislature passed the Williamson Act to

preserve agricultural and open space lands by discouraging premature and

unnecessary conversion to urban uses. The Williamson Act creates an

arrangement whereby private landowners contract with counties and cities

to voluntarily restrict land to agricultural and open- space uses. In

Mariposa County, the vehicle for these agreements is a rolling term 20

year contract. In return, restricted parcels are assessed for property tax

purposes at a rate consistent with their actual use, rather than potential

market value ( savings are anywhere from 20% - 75%). The Williamson

Act contract is the legal document that obligates the property owner, and

any successors of interest, to the contract’s enforceable restrictions.

g. Williamson Act land is exempt from both Proposition 13 and Proposition

8 meaning that the 2% annual adjusted value does not apply to the

Williamson Act portion of the tax bill.

C. Conclusion

a. Refer to Exhibit A for the breakdown of APN 018- XXX- XXXX.

b. Improvements and Land was not assessed at more than the 2% limit

imposed by Proposition 13.

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c. Even though the Williamson Act Land portion of the tax bill fluctuates

from year to year it is not in violation since it is exempt from the

provisions of Proposition 13 and Proposition 8.

d. The Mariposa County Assessors office is available to the public Monday

through Friday to help with any questions on an individual tax bill.

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Mariposa County Assessor: May 21, 2006 Complaint

Summary

A. Synopsis – A complaint was received May 21, 2006 against the Assessor /

Recorder Office: Assessor, Assistant Assessor, and Supervising Appraiser. The

complaint was stated as follows:

“ Inequalities in the assessment of properties in Mariposa County. There are set

rules and regulations for the assessment of properties that must be followed by the

appraiser. One is adjoining lands must be valued the same, unless there are

unusual or extenuating factors involved. It seems that these rules and regulations

are not being followed.”

B. Findings

a. On September 20, 2006, members of the Mariposa County Grand Jury met

with personnel from the Mariposa County Planning Department. The

purpose of this meeting was to obtain detailed information on The

Williamson Act.

b. The Williamson Act is the California Land Conservation Act that was

enacted in 1965. The California Legislature passed the Williamson Act to

preserve agricultural and open space lands by discouraging premature and

unnecessary conversion to urban uses. The Williamson Act creates an

arrangement whereby a private landowner contracts with counties and

cities to voluntarily restrict land to agricultural and open- space uses. In

Mariposa County, the vehicle for these agreements is a rolling term 20

year contract. In return, restricted parcels are assessed for property tax

purposes at a rate consistent with their actual use, rather than potential

market value ( savings are anywhere from 20% - 75%). The Williamson

Act contract is the legal document that obligates the property owner, and

any successors of interest, to the contract’s enforceable restrictions.

c. Properties under Williamson Act Contract ( i. e. Ag Preserve, Open Space)

benefit by being assessed at the lower of three values; current market

value, factored base year value or the Williamson Act restricted value.

These values are tracked by the Assessor and compared before enrolling

the assessed value. Any or all three values are subject to change from year

to year.

d. Williamson Act restricted values are calculated annually and are not

subject to the 2% CPI value ( Consumer Price Index) increase limitation

rule as provided for under Proposition 13. Because of this, there may be

significant increases or decreases in the assessed value from year to year.

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e. Williamson Act restricted values are calculated using a prescribed income

capitalization formula. The capitalization rate includes an interest rate

component, risk rate component, and tax rate component. The interest

( yield rate) component of the capitalization rate is calculated annually by

the State Board of Equalization ( SBE) and is based upon the yield rate for

long term United States government bonds.

f. There are 2 ways to exit out of a Williamson Act Contract:

i. First is the Non- renewal process. The landowner files a notice of

non- renewal with the county. The notice of non- renewal starts the

19 year non- renewal period in which the annual tax assessment

gradually increases. At the end of the 19 year non- renewal period,

the contract is terminated.

ii. Second is cancellation. Only the landowner can petition to cancel

a contract. To approve a tentative contract cancellation, a county

or city must make specific findings that are supported by

substantial evidence. The existence of an opportunity for another

use of the property is not sufficient reason for cancellation. In

addition, the uneconomic character of an existing agricultural use

shall not, by itself, be a sufficient reason to cancel a contract. The

landowner must pay a cancellation fee equal to 12.5% of the

unrestricted, current full market valuation of the property. An

example of a cancellation is the recent 3.5 acre portion of a 40 acre

parcel of Williamson Act Contract No. 23. The cancellation is

proposed so that a new sewage treatment plant for the Don Pedro

Sewer Zone 1- M is constructed. Since that in itself is not

sufficient reason for cancellation, the argument of public concerns

over the existing wastewater treatment facility is operating under a

Cease and Desist Order issued by the State of California Regional

Water Quality Board. The existing facility has exceeded its

service life and cannot be repaired `

e. In the complaint there was a list of properties owned by the Merced

Irrigation District ( MID) that are under Williamson Act contracts. There

is also the statement “ How can 774.36 acres of Williamson Act land

owned by the Merced Irrigation District ( a for profit public / private

corporation) not be paying property taxes?”

i. MID is a special district in Merced County. They are exempt from

property taxes but still have to abide by the rules of the Williamson

Act.

ii. MID has been serving eastern Merced County for more than 80

years. MID is publicly owned, not- for- profit, corporation. The

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district operates 2 recreational facilities: Lake McClure and Lake

McSwain.

iii. MID has a Board of Directors elected by the public.

f. Members of the Mariposa County Grand Jury met with personnel from the

Mariposa County Assessor’s Office on October 25, 2006. The main focus

of this meeting was to discuss Merced Irrigation District ( MID) and to

obtain copies of the Williamson Act contracts for MID.

C. Conclusion

a. Based on the information given about The Williamson Act, land under

contract is assessed based on Agricultural usage. Land can be assessed at

different values based on what the Williamson Act contract states the land

is being used for. For this reason, the Mariposa County Grand Jury did

not find any wrong doing in the assessment of the parcels listed on the

complaint.

b. Since the Merced Irrigation District ( MID) is exempt from property taxes

on the property listed in the complaint, the Mariposa County Grand Jury

did not find any wrong doing in the assessment of the parcels owned by

the Merced Irrigation District in Mariposa County.

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Mariposa County Human Services Department - Behavioral

Health and Recovery Services – October 1, 2006 Complaint

Summary

A. Synopsis – A complaint was received by the Mariposa County Grand Jury dated

October 1, 2006. The complaint discussed possible misuse of Mariposa County funds

and the possibility of Medi- Cal fraud within the Human Services Department, Behavioral

Health & Recovery Services.

B. Findings

a. On November 10, 2006, the Mariposa County Grand Jury requested a

copy of the Human Services Department Policies and Procedures Manual.

This document was not available at the time of this initial request.

b. On December 20, 2006, the grand jury was provided with an alleged CD

version of the Human Services Department Policies and Procedures

Manual.

c. After the grand jury reviewed the information on the CD, it was

discovered the manual was incomplete. The statement " Policies and

procedures yet to be developed" was found on the sections not completed.

d. An attempt was made to contact the Behavioral Health and Recovery

Services Department to obtain the incomplete sections.

e. On January 3, 2007, the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services

Department was contacted and asked for reasons why the Policies and

Procedures Manual was incomplete and also if an old copy of the manual

could be provided. Personnel from the department stated that they did not

have an old manual since the Mental Health Services had previously been

contracted out to Kings View for numerous years. The contract with

Kings View expired July 1, 2004. Since that date the department has been

developing a Policies and Procedures Manual.

f. In April 2007 the Mariposa County Grand Jury was provided an updated

Policies and Procedures Manual. Many sections of the manual remain

incomplete.

g. Members of the Mariposa County Grand Jury met with the Director of the

Mariposa County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services on Tuesday,

February 27, 2007 to investigate the citizen complaint in regards to

inadequate documentation on client charts by a Clinician, and the

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possibility of Medi- Cal fraud in billing for these sessions.

i. The revised Section 6.2.2 for Progress Notes from the Policies and

Procedures Manual was provided on February 27, 2007. Refer to

Exhibit E.

ii. Staff was well aware of inadequate record keeping habits of one

Clinician since 2005. Notes on the clients’ therapy sessions were

not recorded on the proper document required by the department,

( Refer to Exhibit F) and therefore could not be included in the

clients’ files. There were notes recorded on the computer but were

not on the correct form to be used to update client files.

iii. The investigation did indicate that the required documentation for

these sessions, for Medi- Cal billing procedures, was being

accurately recorded. Behavioral Health & Recovery staff

documented these sessions on the Service/ Activity Log KVC-SAL-

F- 006 in compliance for Medi- Cal billing procedures ( Refer

to Exhibit G).

C. Conclusions

a. The Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Director stated that

disciplinary action against the Clinician regarding the lack of client

documentation is being taken.

b. The investigation concluded that there was no Medi- Cal billing fraud

involved regarding payment for services provided to county beneficiaries.

D. Recommendations

a. The Department is urged to develop computer software to format the

required progress notes so that notes taken at the time of client visits can

be printed and filed in a timely manner by the clinicians.

b. The Mariposa County Grand Jury recommends that the Behavioral

Health and Recovery Services complete the listed sections of the Policies

and Procedures Manual:

i. 6.16: Physician Availability

ii. 6.24: Documentation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

iii. 6.4.4: Conservatorship

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iv. 7.0: Clinical Service/ Alcohol and Drugs/ Prevention Services

v. 10.0: Systems of Care

vi. 11.0: Cal Works

vii. 12.0: Heritage House

viii. 13.3.1: Suicide/ Homicide Reviews

ix. 13.6.1.3: Safety Suggestions

x. 13.6.1.4: MSDS List

xi. 13.6.1.5: Employee Safety Handbook

xii. 13.6.1.6: Employee Safety Training

xiii. 13.6.1.6.1: Employee Safety Training Checklist

xiv. 13.6.4: Medical Emergencies

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Mariposa County Animal Control – January 16, 2007 Complaint

Summary

A. Synopsis – Members of the Mariposa County Grand Jury visited the Mariposa

County Animal Control Facility on January 16, 2007. The purpose of this visit

was to inspect the facility and to review the policy for intake and subsequent

disposition of animals held by the department.

Two specific citizen complaints were also investigated which were:

1. Why the facility is closed to the public.

2. The relationship between Mariposa County Animal Control and the SPCA

( The Society for Prevention and Cruelty to Animals).

B. Findings

a. Animal Facilities’

i. The animal’s living quarters were clean and adequate and

exhibited humane treatment.

`

ii. Equipment such as trucks, cages, traps and catches were designed

for both officer safety and humane treatment of the animals.

iii. Small animals are housed at the Mariposa County Animal Control

intake facility; large animals are kept at Mariposa County

Fairgrounds.

iv. Intake reports and records are maintained for each animal and were

readily available for our inspection. Refer to Exhibit H.

v. Mariposa County Animal Control contracts with the Mariposa

County Health Department for all veterinary services.

b. Public Access To Animals

i. The impound facility does not maintain regular hours for public

access because of personnel constraints. Citizen requests, to see

impounded animals, are by appointment and are based on

personnel availability.

ii. Impounded animals available for adoption are posted on the

Mariposa County Animal Control website located at

www. mariposacounty. org/ sheriff/ index. htm

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iii. Computers are available at the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office

and at the Mariposa County Public Library for those who do not

have access to computers.

iv. Sheriff personnel will access the Mariposa County Animal Control

website for those who come to the office requesting this service.

c. Disposition Of Impounded Animals

i. Mariposa County Animal Control is responsible for the disposition

of animals that have been impounded. The exception is animals

impounded by court order. In these cases, the court decides

disposition.

ii. California State Law dictates that all unclaimed animals must be

impounded for a minimum of five days. Many are given a few

extra days in hopes that they will be claimed.

iii. Mariposa County Animal Control and SPCA have an agreement

which allows the SPCA manager or designee to come to the

impound facility and identify those animals which they believe to

be adoptable. These animals are transferred to SPCA for adoption.

iv. The Mariposa County Animal Control staff makes every effort to

place qualifying animals with breed rescue groups.

C. Recommendations

a. That the Mariposa County Animal Control Department continues a

positive working relationship with the SPCA.

b. That the Mariposa County Animal Control Department, via the Sheriff’s

Office, keep the Board of Supervisors apprised of:

i. The need for a kennel technician ( preferably full time) which

would allow department officers more time in the field for their

regular duties as well as time for community public relations. This

could also enable the department to initiate regular open hours at

the impound facility.

ii. The need for a county owned facility. This would allow for

centralization of services, mitigate neighborhood noise and be

commensurate with county growth.

iii. That the Mariposa County Animal Control Department be funded

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to allow its personnel to maintain their level of professional

training.

D. Conclusions

a. The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Department does an excellent job of

administering the Animal Control Department and of providing humane

treatment for the animals under their control.

b. There is a positive working relationship between Mariposa County

Animal Control and the SPCA.

c. The impound facility, even though it doesn’t have regular open hours, is

very accessible to the public.

d. Information regarding impounded animals is readily available through

the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

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ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, TOURS, AND VISITS

Mariposa County Detention Center – November 8, 2006 Facility

Inspection

Summary

A. Synopsis – The Mariposa County Grand Jury visited the Mariposa County

Detention Center on November 8, 2006. The tour was conducted by personnel in

the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. The purpose of the visit was to inspect

conditions, operation and management of all aspects of the facility. The Grand

Jury also viewed inspection reports from the Mariposa County Health

Department, the Mariposa County Fire Department and the California State

Department of Corrections.

B. Findings

a. The Facility and Inspection Reports.

i. All inspection reports were provided to the grand jury members.

ii. All reports were current and all were in compliance per the issuing

authority’s regulations.

iii. Facilities management has implemented an inventory check list

and security procedure for all kitchen utensils that represent

potential weapons.

iv. The aforementioned items are inventoried and secured by the

kitchen staff before they leave in the evening.

v. Emergency evacuation plans, maps and procedures are available

but for security reasons are not posted.

vi. All facility personnel are well trained in the implementation and

operation of these emergency procedures.

b. Inmate Housing

i. All living areas were clean and well maintained.

ii. The facility can adequately house 58 inmates. The population was

49 ( 84% of capacity) on the date of this inspection.

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c. Maximum Occupancy Policy.

i. An early release policy is implemented when the inmate

population exceeds 58.

ii. Inmates with 5 days or less, left to serve are the first ones

considered for this program.

iii. The early release program was used to release 38 inmates from

January 1, 2006 to December 3, 2006.

d. Food Service

i. Food service is provided by John C. Fremont Hospital, under the

direction of a nutritionist.

ii. All food preparation is done at the Mariposa County Detention

facility by hospital employees who have been cleared to work on-site.

iii. Inmates are fed 3 meals daily; 2 of which are hot.

iv. Special dietary meals are provided for those who require them.

e. Medical Service

i. Medical services are contracted with John C. Fremont Hospital.

ii. A hospital nurse conducts on- site sick call 2 days per week.

iii. Inmates with medical emergencies are transported, by facility staff,

to John C. Fremont Hospital or to a doctor’s office.

f. Clothing/ Hygiene

i. Clean outer clothes are issued weekly, underwear 2 times per

week.

ii. Inmates are allowed daily showers.

iii. The facility employs a clothing/ shower procedure for those

inmates who leave/ return to participate in off- site work programs.

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g. Visitation Policy

i. Each inmate is allowed 1 hour per week of visitation time.

ii. Each visitor is logged in/ out by facility personnel.

C. Recommendations

a. That the Mariposa County Sheriff and his department maintain their

current high level of professionalism.

b. That the Mariposa County Sheriff continues to keep the Mariposa

County Board of Supervisors apprised:

i. Of the need for adequate personnel to manage and to secure the

facility.

ii. The potential need for a larger facility that will be commensurate

with Mariposa County growth.

c. That the Mariposa County Sheriff continues to keep the Mariposa

County Board of Supervisors apprised of the limited facility housing

capacity which requires the implementation of the early release

program

D. Conclusions

a. The Mariposa County Detention facility is managed both professionally

and humanely.

b. The citizens of Mariposa County are the beneficiaries of the high

professional standards employed by Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

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Mariposa County Juvenile Detention Center – January 29, 2007

Facility Inspection

Summary

A. Synopsis – The Mariposa County Grand Jury visited the Mariposa County

Juvenile Detention Center on January 29, 2007. The tour was conducted by

personnel from the Mariposa County Probation Office. This is an annual

inspection by the grand jury whose purpose is to inspect facility conditions and to

verify compliance with department policies/ procedures as well as applicable state

and county codes.

B. Findings

a. Transportation of Juveniles.

i. The department has implemented a policy regarding transportation

of juveniles.

b. Housing Facilities

i. The facility is a four bed; 96 hour hold facility composed of two

sleeping areas with two beds each, a multipurpose day room, a

kitchen and a bath/ shower room.

ii. All components were clean and in good repair.

iii. Indoor activities such as television and games were provided as

well as a large outdoor recreation/ exercise area.

c. Food/ Medical Services

i. Food service is provided by staff, in house.

ii. Meals/ snacks are prepared based upon a posted, nutritionist

prepared menu.

iii. Medical services are provided by John C. Fremont Hospital.

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d. Staff

i. The staff consists of 10 people.

ii. Two on- duty staff are required whenever a juvenile is in custody.

One of these must be core- trained. ( Refer below, section e.

Training).

iii. The department employs part time, as needed staff that are trained

and have experience working with juveniles.

e. Training

i. All staff are either core- trained ( a five week, full time training

program) or are trained in house per department policies and

procedures.

ii. Six of the 10 department officers are core- trained.

iii. Monthly training sessions are required. These consist of

discussions about staff concerns or of topics presented by outside

speakers.

iv. At least one core- trained officer must be on duty during scheduled

office hours or whenever a juvenile is in custody.

C. Recommendations

a. The Mariposa County Grand Jury recommends that staff members

continue to avail themselves of training that will enable them to maintain

their high level of professionalism.

D. Conclusions

a. The Mariposa County Juvenile Detention Center is clean, well managed

and performs the job it was designed to do.

b. The Mariposa County Juvenile Detention facility is in compliance with

applicable state and county codes.

c. The staff is to be complimented for the positive atmosphere exhibited by

the facility.

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Mariposa County Library System Review – April 23, 2007

Summary

A. Synopsis – The review was conducted Monday, April 23, 2007 by members of the

Mariposa County Grand Jury. The tour of the facility was conducted by

personnel from the Mariposa County Library.

B. Findings

a. The current library facility was constructed in the year 2000 at a total

project cost of $ 2,143,500. These funds were attained by a joint effort of

Mariposa County, the Library Services and constructions Act Grant, and

the Friends of the Library Building Fund. Special features of the library

include computer and internet access, audio visual equipment, and a

community room, which is available to non- profit organizations by

reservation for meetings. There are 8,120 square feet. It is part of the San

Joaquin Valley Library System, with four branch facilities in El Portal,

Yosemite, Wawona, and Red Cloud ( Greeley Hill) with 50,000 books.

There are three full- time employees, part- time staff, and many volunteers.

b. Mariposa County library cards are available to anyone; however, the cards

can be rescinded for improper use. The library allows patrons free access

to email and the internet inter- library loans. There is a wide variety of not

only fiction and non- fiction books, but also a CD collection as well as

videos and DVDs. The library has access to 3 million books by being a

member of several county library associations. Children have their own

section of books and computers available and a weekly story hour on

Wednesdays.

c. The library is supported by the county and the non- profit Friends of the

Library, who have a membership of 450+, including 130 life members.

This organization’s fund- raising operations includes a semi- annual book

sales event in May and October, a summer reading program for

community youth, and operation of the Books Galore weekly book sale in

the community room on Tuesdays and Fridays ( 11 am to 4 pm). In

conjunction with the California State Library there is an on- line tutoring

service for high school students.

d. In selecting books and materials for the library, staff is guided by review

of the Booklist, the Library Journal, and for Children’s books, the Horn

Books and School Library Journal. The needs of the community

determine their final selection. Donations of books to the library are

evaluated based on condition, subject, need, and age of the books. Those

not acquisitioned by the library are passed on to the Friends of the Library

for availability to patrons via the semi- annual book sales.

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C. Conclusion

The Mariposa County Grand Jury found the staff to be professional,

personable, and ready to assist the public. Mariposa County residents are

fortunate to have the availability of such a fine service.

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Grand Jury Activity Report

Workload of the Mariposa County Grand Jury

A. There were 23 regular scheduled meetings held.

B. Sixteen citizen complaints were received and acknowledged. Four of these

complaints were investigated. Eight complaints were deemed inappropriate for a

Mariposa County Grand Jury investigation. The last four complaints received

were not investigated.

C. The Mariposa County Grand Jury had six committees.

D. Reviewed and toured Mariposa County Adult and Juvenile Detention Facilities.

E. Conducted on- site review of the Mariposa County Library.

Description of the Grand Jury Process

A. The Mariposa County Grand Jury is a judicial body consisting of 11 citizens. It is

impaneled to act as an " arm of the court," as authorized by the Fifth Amendment

of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of California, to

be a voice of the people and conscience of the community. We were impaneled as

a Civil Grand Jury in Mariposa County and started our term of one year in July. A

Criminal Grand Jury may be impaneled in the County if deemed necessary by the

Superior Court Judge.

B. The 2006 / 2007 Mariposa County Grand Jury chose its officers, except for the

Foreman, and decided to follow Robert’s Rules of Order.

C. Committees were formed with each member choosing at least two committees to

serve based on their knowledge and experience.

D. All complaints were read and discussed at the Mariposa County Grand Jury

meetings.

E. After deliberation, the Jury voted to decide if the complaint was appropriate to

investigate further. Juror( s) abstained from the vote and further discussion if the

matter discussed would involve him / her in a Conflict of Interest.

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F. Investigations and routine visits were attended by at least 2 members of the

Mariposa County Grand Jury.

Analysis of Comments by the Mariposa County Grand Jury

We as members of the 2006/ 2007 Mariposa Grand County Jury felt that this was an

informative and enjoyable experience serving as grand jurors. The Mariposa County

personnel that had been interviewed for the major investigations and routine visits and

inspections were helpful and well informed.

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SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Mariposa County Assessor

Exhibit A – Property Tax Calculation on APN 018- XXX- XXXX.

Exhibit B – Assessment Information on Prop 8

Exhibit C – California Proposition 13

Exhibit D – Williamson Act

Mariposa County Human Services Department - Behavioral

Health and Recovery Services

Exhibit E – Mariposa County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Policy and

Procedure 6.2.2.

Exhibit F – Client Therapy Notes

Exhibit G – Service / Activity Log

Mariposa County Animal Control

Exhibit H – Mariposa County Animal Safety

EXHIBIT A

PROPERTY TAX CALCULATION

APN 018- XXX- XXXX

2005 % diff 2004 % diff 2003 % diff 2002 % diff 2001 % diff

Improvements 12,852 2.00% 12,600 1.86% 12,370 2.00% 12,128 1.99% 11,891 2.00%

Land 5,010 2.00% 4,912 2.00% 4,816 2.00% 4,721 2.00% 4,629 2.00%

Land - Williamson Act 27,855 8.03% 25,784 - 0.02% 25,790 6.20% 24,285 9.32% 22,215 2.60%

Homeowner ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000)

2000 % diff 1999 % diff 1998 % diff 1997 % diff 1996 % diff 1995

Improvements 11,658 1.99% 11,430 1.84% 11,223 2.00% 11,003 1.99% 10,788 1.11% 10,670

Land 4,538 2.00% 4,449 2.00% 4,362 2.00% 4,276 2.00% 4,192 2.00% 4,110

Land - Williamson Act 21,652 6.48% 20,334 - 0.03% 20,340 2.85% 19,777 0.00% 19,777 - 0.18% 19,813

Homeowner ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000) ( 7,000)

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