City Council
October 18, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO:
Honorable City Council
FROM:
Edward D. Reiskin
City Administrator
SUBJECT:
Proposed Responses to 2021-2022
Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Reports DATE: September 28, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Authorize the Council President To Submit Responses On Behalf Of The City Council To The 2021-2022 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Final Reports Titled:
1. “Lack of Fire Inspections in Oakland Creates Unnecessary Risks”; and
2. “Management Failures at Planning and Building Department Cost Oakland Millions”.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2021-2022 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report (Attachment A) included three (3) reports about Oakland that require a response from the City Council and the Mayor to their findings and recommendations. The reports are titled:
1. “Oakland Fails to Enforce Financial Disclosure Rules to Protect the Public”;
2. “Lack of Fire Inspections in Oakland Creates Unnecessary Risks”; and
3. “Management Failures at Planning and Building Department Cost Oakland Millions”
The Oakland Fire Department (OFD) and the Oakland Planning and Building Department (PBD) have prepared draft responses to report numbers 1 and 2 above for the City Council’s consideration. The City Clerk and the Public Ethics Commission are preparing draft responses to report number 3 above, which will be brought to the Council for consideration at a future meeting.
The draft responses to report numbers 1 and 2 are addressed to the Honorable Charles A.
Smiley, Presiding Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court and are included as Attachments B and C. City Council discussion on this agenda item may inform the final responses to the Grand Jury Report by Council President on behalf of the City Council. By default, formal responses to the Grand Jury report would have been due 90 days after the report’s public release. The City, however, requested and received extensions of the time to respond from the Grand Jury’s representative. In accordance with those extensions, the City’s responses to report numbers 1 and 2 are due no later than Friday, October 28, 2022, and the City’s responses to report number 3 are due no later than Thursday, December 22, 2022.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: 2021-2022 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Report Date: September 28, 2022 Page 2
City Council
October 18, 2022
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The 2021-2022 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report was published on June 28, 2022. The report included three (3) matters pertaining directly to the City of Oakland.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Final Report that are related to the City of Oakland are provided in Attachment A. Draft responses to the findings and recommendations for two (2) of the three (3) Grand Jury Reports, which require a response from the Mayor and Council, are as follows:
The draft response to “Lack of Fire Inspections in Oakland Creates Unnecessary Risks” is provided as Attachment B; and
The draft response to “Management Failures at Planning and Building Department Cost Oakland Millions” is provided as Attachment C.
Responding parties are instructed to refer to page 182 of the final report for “How to Respond to Findings & Recommendations” in this Report. Page 182 of the 2021-2022 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Final Report is excerpted and provided in Attachment D.
The production of this report aligns with the City Council’s goal to achieve a responsive and trustworthy Government.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no direct fiscal impacts associated with the production of this report. Should an appropriation be needed to respond to the findings or to implement any of the recommendations, those requests will be submitted through the City’s Budget Process.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
There was no public outreach necessary other than posting on the City’s website.
COORDINATION
The Office of the City Attorney was consulted in preparation of this report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are no economic opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: 2021-2022 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Report Date: September 28, 2022 Page 3
City Council
October 18, 2022
Race & Equity: There are no race & equity opportunities associated with this report.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Authorize the Council President To Submit Responses On Behalf Of The City Council To The 2021-2022 Alameda Civil County Grand Jury Final Reports Titled:
1. “Lack of Fire Inspections in Oakland Creates Unnecessary Risks”; and
2. “Management Failures at Planning and Building Department Cost Oakland Millions”.
Respectfully submitted,
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Prepared by:
Angela Robinson Piñon, Deputy City
Administrator
Attachments (6):
Attachment A: 2021-22 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Reports (Oakland Excerpts) Attachment B: Draft response to “Lack of Fire Inspections in Oakland Creates Unnecessary Risks”
Attachment B1: Draft response to “Lack of Fire Inspections in Oakland Creates Unnecessary Risks” [Highlighted and Annotated]
Attachment C: Draft response to “Management Failures at Planning and Building Department Cost Oakland Millions”
Attachment C1: Draft response to “Management Failures at Planning and Building Department Cost Oakland Millions” [Highlighted and Annotated]
Attachment D: 2021-2022 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report Excerpt (page 182) “How to Respond to Findings & Recommendations”