Mokelumne Hill, CA…The Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury found five areas where the Mokelumne Fire Protection District (MHFPD) has failed to properly function for the benefit of those it is mandated to serve. The MHFPD covers an area of approximately 34 square miles, encompassing the towns of Mokelumne Hill and Paloma and the surrounding areas. It has an elected board of five directors and an appointed Fire Chief. The current Chair of the Board of Directors has held that position for more than a decade. The current Fire Chief, who was appointed in March, succeeds the Fire Chief who was with the District on one capacity or another from 1963 until his retirement in June 2026.

The Grand Jury’s report followed an investigation that grew out of an inquiry into how Measure A funds are allocated to the county’s ten fire agencies. Responding to a citizen complaint, a declaration of no confidence by a majority of MHFPD firefighters, and a notification of a complaint by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Grand Jury conducted interviews with past and present MHFPD management, board members, and firefighters; researched relevant national and state fire district cases and standards; reviewed MHFPD operational and financial documents; attended MHFPD Board of Directors meetings; and reviewed the notification of a complaint from OSHA, the 2012-2013 Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury report, violations identified by OSHA in 2012, and related news articles.

The Grand Jury made seven recommendations to address problems at MHFPD that included:
• Lack of compliance with or documentation for required health and safety programs.
• Staff grievances resulting in retaliation or fear of retaliation.
• Incomplete or outdated Standard Operating Policies.
• Inconsistently enforced policies regarding use of alcohol or drugs while on duty.
• Weak Board of Directors bylaws governing rotation of board officer duties and length of office terms.

Under California law, the Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors must respond to the Grand Jury report within 60 days.

The Calaveras Civil Grand Jury encourages the public to share concerns about county, municipal, school, and special-district operations at its online complaint form, forms.calaverasgov.us/Grand-Jury
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