Report 2018-120 Recommendation 9 Responses
Report 2018-120: San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission: Its Failure to Perform Key Responsibilities Has Allowed Ongoing Harm to the San Francisco Bay (Release Date: May 2019)
Recommendation #9 To: San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
To ensure that it maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of its enforcement and permitting programs, the commission should by January 2020 develop and implement procedures to ensure that staff open, investigate, and close cases in a manner that is consistent with state law and that encourages the responsible use of staff time.
1-Year Agency Response
Staff have been working to improve the enforcement process by instituting the reforms discussed in other responses and have implemented reforms to ensure that cases are resolved in a timely manner. Staff has reviewed the procedures used to open, investigate, and close cases, and has determined that staff act consistent with state law. Staff have determined that the existing procedures, coupled with the improvements that staff have made, are sufficient to ensure that staff are using their time responsibly.
- Completion Date: January 2020
- Response Date: May 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
Commission staff have developed new procedures to formalize the review and timely handling of cases, which satisfies the intent of this recommendation. However, further audit work would be necessary in the future to verify that these policies are consistently being followed, and are increasing the long term effectiveness of the commission's violation handling.
6-Month Agency Response
Fully Implemented. Staff has reviewed the procedures used to open, investigate, and close cases, and has determined that staff act consistent with state law. While staff continue to explore opportunities to improve the enforcement process and ensure that cases are resolved in a timely manner, staff have determined that the existing procedures, coupled with the improvements that staff is making, are adequate to ensure that staff are using their time responsibly.
- Completion Date: October 2019
- Response Date: November 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
The commission is in the process of creating policies and procedures to implement this recommendation.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
60-Day Agency Response
Staff is reviewing its procedures, with input and oversight from the Enforcement Committee, and will be developing procedures to maximize the responsible use of staff time.
- Estimated Completion Date: 01/01/2020
- Response Date: July 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2018-120
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.