August 26, 2013: Tomorrow's Board of Supervisors agenda has Item #20, which is the response to the Grand Jury's criticisms
about the County's Technology Department, purchase of a $400,000 program without a contract and failure to implement the documents portion by technology.
As most residents know, there has been a lot of questions about whether minutes, agendas and videos have been altered and then called "technical problems" when re-input.
One of the most well-known cases is the 2007 Resolution 07-242, knows as the Supervisor Tom Tryon "40 acres and a mule" law, which was challenged by many members of the public and the Sierra Sentinel.
Finally, after months of complaints, the County Counsel Janis Elliot made a public statement at a Board of Supervisors meeting after yet another complaint was lodged, that "the public misinterpreted the law". Shocking!! Supervisor Tryon was Chair of the Board at that time!!
Suddenly, the video disappeared when the Sierra Sentinel requested a copy of that Board meeting, only for it to return two weeks later with the term "technical difficulties" and the main portions of that Resolution missing.
In addition, there have been agendas and minutes altered due to the fact that there is absolutely no security over these documents.
Now we question the Resolution where the Board now says a statement was added at the end of a non- related item, approving (giving a blank check) to the CIO to purchase a program of this size without public comment.
And they wonder why we are against the "action summary" and elimination of minutes?
Also they are NOT posted on the website so that people can easily download them, which would ensure there was no corruption on the part of any certain Supervisor.
We have left a message for Howard Stohlman who we have been told is the head of Technical Services for the county, with no resulting call back.
We have also sent an email with questions we have about the technology services department and have as yet received no reply.
Something just isn't right about the Supervisors response to the Grand Jury. It is vague, badly written by a 5th grader seemingly, and should not be enough to satisfy the Grand Jury.
The public is aware that something is wrong! Why won't the Supervisors (especially Callaway and Spellman) take care of the problem right away.
They were willing to spend $4 million on a clerical program, but not on one that would protect our valuable documents, especially the films, from corruption in the future.
Many are asking why? Why would the Supervisors not want to protect and secure our videos and documents from corruption? Good question.
Why hasn't the Board of Supervisors wanted to address and permanently secure all documents for the County, to avoid any future corruption of that type?
Naturally, we say the Board should not approve this response and clarify and respond in a way that will help the public, the voters, and not just themselves.
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