Agenda

Return

C. 65

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Monica Nino, County Administrator
Date:	August 8, 2023

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

PROPOSED RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 2302, REGARDING THE COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL CONTRACT APPROVAL PROCESS

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 08/08/2023

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Ken Carlson, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	John Kopchik (925) 655-2780
cc:	DCD Director CAO (Enea)

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: August 8, 2023
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT report prepared by the Conservation and Development Department as the Board of Supervisors' response to Contra Costa Civil Grand Jury Report No. 2302, entitled “The Long Wait for Agricultural Contract Approval in Contra Costa County”, and DIRECT the Clerk of the Board to transmit the Board's response to the Superior Court no later than August 13, 2023.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No fiscal impact.

BACKGROUND:

The 2022/23 Civil Grand Jury filed the above-referenced report, attached, which was received by the Board of Supervisors on May 15, 2023 and subsequently referred to the County Administrator and the Conservation and Development Director, who prepared the attached response that clearly specifies:

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Whether the finding or recommendation is accepted or will be implemented;

If a recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date;

A delineation of the constraints if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be implemented within a six-month period; and

The reason for not accepting or adopting a finding or recommendation.

The report, Civil Grand Jury Report No. 2302, “The Long Wait for Agricultural Contract Approval in Contra Costa County” (Report), was addressed to the County Board of Supervisors. The subject of the Report is the amount of time it takes to process an agricultural "Williamson Act" contract from receipt to approval. The Report looked at the performance of the County in processing these contracts and the resources dedicated to this activity. The Report concluded with eight findings and nine recommendations.

Attached are the proposed responses to the findings and recommendations. The California Penal Code specifies that the Board of Supervisors must forward its response to the Superior Court no later than August 13, 2023 (90 days from receipt).