Grand Jury Critical Of Treatment Received From Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County Grand Jury Report

Sonora, CA — Alleged difficulties in doing its work, along with minimal working space, were a focus of the latest Tuolumne County Grand Jury report.

It notes that the county has been unable to assist the Grand Jury on some occasions because of three primary reasons:

1. The County does not have the ability to help in certain cases.
2. The County has declined to help in other areas.
3. The County has actively attempted to discredit the work of your Grand Jury in other areas.

The report continues:

“In the first instance, the County does not have the computer system to provide answers to Grand Jury questions. Your Grand Jury understands that some systems have a monetary cost that may preclude their purchase. However, not having records from former employees is difficult to understand or justify and makes these kinds of inquiries impossible.

In the second instance, the County has declined to provide information, technology, or legal assistance. Your Grand Jury has clearly taken on the mammoth job of providing reports regarding the upper levels of Tuolumne County Administration. The failure of the Administration to assist your Grand Jury, who acts as the watchdog, as provided by the state legislature, came as a disappointment.

In the third instance, the County has:

• Provided for an unworkable legal counsel agreement.
• Criticized the credibility and integrity of your Grand Jury in multiple ways.

Delays caused by these issues can prove fatal for reports if they require time beyond your Grand Jury’s statutory one-year time limit.”

You can find the full 24-page report by clicking here with the Grand Jury’s findings and recommendations.

The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors will discuss the recent Grand Jury Reports at a special meeting on Tuesday.

Click here to find the County Counsel’s response drafted ahead of the meeting related to the most recent report.