DATE: April 21, 1997

TO: The Honorable William J. Gordon, Presiding Judge Superior Court

FROM: Elliot Schulman, MD, Interim Director
Health Care Services Department

SUBJECT: Response to Grand Jury Interim Final Report
Environmental Regulation of Tajiguas Landfill - March 19, 1997

FINDING 8: No personnel are available after hours or on weekends to respond to complaints.

RECOMMENDATION 8: Devise a system to have personnel on call to handle complaints.

Affected Agencies:

1. Santa Barbara County Public Works Department
2. Health Care Services Department
3. Air Pollution Control District

HEALTH CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE to FINDING 8:

Environmental Health Services division of the Health Care Services department is listed with County Dispatch. After hours and weekend calls are routed through a voice mail message to County Dispatch. Calls received at the Police Department and/or Fire Department are also routed to County Dispatch. An after hours list (home telephone numbers) of Environmental Health Services staff contact names is maintained at County Dispatch. The first contact for a complaint regarding a solid waste facility would be taken by County Dispatch. County Dispatch would then contact the Technical Programs Supervisor to report the complaint. The contact list also contains other Environmental Health Services contact names (such as another supervisor, the Director, etc.) should the Technical Programs Supervisor be unavailable at the time of initial contact. Environmental Health Services and the Solid Waste Division have established a plan with the Arroyo Quemado residents to contact the on-site operator at the landfill for an immediate response to a problem; the operator will then notify Environmental Health Services, if necessary. This process is available to the residents after hours and on weekends and has been used very effectively.