REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Al Zelinka, City Manager
VIA: Jennifer Villasenor, Acting Director of Community Development
PREPARED BY: Steve Holtz, Deputy Director of Community Development
Subject:
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Approve Responses to the 2022-2023 Orange County Grand Jury Reports Related to Animal Welfare, School Safety, and Group Homes
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Statement of Issue:
In June 2023, the Orange County Grand Jury released four reports entitled “Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice - The State of Animal Welfare Overseen by the County of Orange,” “School Shootings: How Prepared are Orange County Public Schools,” “’Welcome to the Neighborhood’ Are Cities Responsibly Managing the Integration of Group Homes,” and “Historic Rain, Yet Drought Remains,” (Attachments 1, 3, 5, and 7). The City of Huntington Beach is required by California Penal Code Section 933.05 to respond to certain findings and recommendations in three of these reports. Draft letters (Attachments 2, 4, and 6) provide proposed responses for the City Council’s consideration. The California drought report does not require a response from the City, and staff recommends that the City Council approve not responding to this report.
Financial Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Approve the City’s responses to findings and recommendations posed by the Orange County Grand Jury related to animal welfare, school shootings, and group homes; and
B) Approve not responding to the Orange County Grand Jury report on the California drought; and
C) Authorize the City Manager to submit the City’s responses to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
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Alternative Action(s):
Revise draft language in the City’s responses prior to submitting them to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. The City is required to submit responses to the findings and recommendations specified in three of the grand jury reports. Although not required, the City Council may direct staff to prepare a response to the California drought report.
Analysis:
Each year, a new Orange County Grand Jury is impaneled to investigate complaints about local governmental agencies within Orange County, to audit those agencies, and to publish the findings and recommendations resulting from its investigations. The grand jury also assists the District Attorney by hearing criminal cases for indictment.
The Grand Jury is a judicial body empowered with investigative duties by the Superior Court of California and is composed of local citizens whose principal role is to be a “watchdog” over local government agencies, including special districts, to ensure that the County is being governed honestly and efficiently.
For its 2022-2023 term, the Grand Jury investigated and issued reports on seven topics, three of which require responses from the City within 90 days of their release (Attachments 1, 3, and 5):
• Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice - The State of Animal Welfare Overseen by the County of Orange (report released 6/7/23)
• “School Shootings: How Prepared are Orange County Schools” (report released 6/14/23)
• “Welcome to the Neighborhood” Are Cities Responsibly Managing the Integration of Group Homes (report released 6/12/23)
Additionally, the Grand Jury issued a report entitled “Historic Rain, Yet Drought Remains” (Attachment 7) that requests but does not require a response from the City. Because this report does not require a response, staff recommends not responding. However, the City Council may request staff to prepare a response. If so directed, Grand Jury Reports permit an extension of time up to six months from the public release date if necessary for further analysis. Staff would request this extension and return for future City Council review and approval of that response.
Staff has drafted responses to the three reports that require the City’s response in conjunction with the City Attorney (Attachments 2, 4, and 6). With City Council approval, staff will submit the responses to Presiding Judge of the Superior Court Maria Hernandez by the required deadline.
Environmental Status:
The requested action is an administrative activity of the City Council that would not result in direct or indirect physical environmental effects. As such, the requested action is not a project pursuant to Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines and no further CEQA review is required.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
Attachment(s):
1. Orange County Grand Jury Report: “Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice - The State of Animal Welfare Overseen by the County of Orange”
2. Draft Response to “Gimme Shelter and a Pound of Advice - The State of Animal Welfare Overseen by the County of Orange”
3. Orange County Grand Jury Report: “School Shootings: How Prepared are Orange County Schools”
4. Draft Response to “School Shooting: How Prepared are Orange County Schools”
5. Orange County Grand Jury Report: “’Welcome to the Neighborhood’ Are Cities Responsibly Managing the Integration of Group Homes”
6. Draft Response to “’Welcome to the Neighborhood’ Are Cities Responsibly Managing the Integration of Group Homes”
7. Orange County Grand Jury Report: “Historic Rain, Yet Drought Remains”