Honorable Rodney S. Melville, Presiding Judge

Re: Board of Supervisors' Response to the Grand Jury's Interim Final Report on the Management of County Government

Dear Judge Melville:

The Board of Supervisors respectfully submits this response to the 1994-95 Grand Jury's Interim Final Report on the Management of County Government.

The Board of Supervisors thanks the Grand Jury for its hard work and acknowledges that the report identifies many issues that are of great concern to the Board, to County departments, and to the general public.

The individual responses of the members of the Board are attached. They reveal a consensus of the Board on several points:

1. The Board takes the Grand Jury report seriously; the Grand Jury has raised some fundamental issues that the Board intends to deal with.

2. An organized and focused effort is required; the Board is committed to take timely action.

3. The process for action will be a coordinated one, involving the Board, the County Administrator, and the County departments. Of course, any County action must be taken in a public forum, with opportunity for public participation.

4. The Board's effort must take into account short-term and long-term fiscal realities facing counties.

5. The Board will consider strengthening the responsibility and authority of the County Administrator with respect to department heads and clarifying the County Administrator's role with respect to the Board of Supervisors.

6. Regular review is required to ensure that County goals are carried out in an effective and efficient manner.

7. It is the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors to articulate long-term direction and set policy to guide the course of the County's business. To the event this is done, the concerns voiced by the Grand Jury with how the County is managed may be alleviated and the service provided by the county may be enhanced.

The County Administrator, at Board direction, has provided a proposed timetable for Board action. The Board will take up the individual action items promptly.

In meeting the challenges identified by the Grand Jury, the Board looks forward to a productive process and a successful outcome.

Attachments

cc: Spencer Boise, Foreman, 1995-96 Grand Jury

Robert Glick, Foreman, 1994-95 Grand Jury

Each Member, Board of Supervisors

Each Department Head

TIME TABLE FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS August 1, 1995 ACTION REGARDING THE I 994-95 GRAND JURY' 5

INTERIM FINAL REPORT ON SANTA BARBARA

COUNTY MANAGEMENT

Task Beein Date End Date

1. Review and Revise 1992 County Mon., Sept. 25, 1995 Tues., Oct. 3, 1995

Mission, Goals, Programs, and

Values Statement

2. Board of Supervisors Has Tues., Oct. 10, 1995 Tues., Oct 10, 1995

Conceptual Discussion of

Changes to County Administrator

Ordinance

3. County Administrator, Department Thurs., Oct. 12, 1995 Fri., Oct. 13, 1995

Heads Hold a Two-Day Strategic

Planning Session

4. County Administrator Reports to Tues., Oct. 24, 1995 Tues., Oct. 24, 1995

Board on Results of Department

Head Strategic Planning Session

5. Board of Supervisors Considers Tues., Nov. 7, 1995 Tues., Dec. 19, 1995

Changes to County Administrator

Ordinance

6. Board of Supervisors Considers Feb. 1996 Aug. 1996

Long-Term Budget Reduction

Plans Based on Board Mission,

Goals, Objectives and Departments

Work on Strategic Plan

7. Board of Supervisors Re-evaluates Nov. 1996 Dec. 1996

County Mission, Goals, Objectives