Sonora, CA…Dear Judge Powell Segerstrom; The 2017-2018 County of Tuolumne Civil Grand Jury is honored to present a final report on investigations, inspections, and observations undertaken during its year of service. This report is the culmination of countless hours of hard work and dedication to bring this Final Report to you and the citizens of Tuolumne County.

We began our term as 19 members. Throughout the year, 12 members left the grand jury for various reasons. We completed our term with 17 standing members. We met as a group every Wednesday (with the exception of 2 days) and put in countless hours in committees, conducting interviews, investigating and writing reports. Through our combined investigations, we conducted 96 interviews with county officials, managers, and members of the public to complete six investigative reports. Topics of investigation were selected based on citizen complaints and concerns, city and county departments that had not been reviewed by the Grand Jury for some time, and correctional facilities that require annual review. It is our hope that the reports we completed will shed a light on government functions that can be improved on to better serve the citizens of Tuolumne County.

On behalf of the entire Grand Jury, we want to express our thanks and gratitude to you, Judge Kate Powell Segerstrom, for your support and guidance throughout the year. In addition, we wish to convey our sincere thanks to County Council, Sarah Carrillo and Tuolumne County District Attorney, Laura Krieg for their guidance through this process. And to all the county staff that were so responsive to all of our needs, we thank you as well.

There is really nothing that can prepare you for serving on the Civil Grand Jury; the learning curve is steep and just when you think you have things figured out, it is almost over. It has been my pleasure and a privilege to have had the opportunity to serve as Foreperson on this Grand Jury and to work alongside so many dedicated citizens. I found it personally rewarding to
work with this hard working group as we tackled issues, resolved differences, and sought solutions. Serving on the Grand Jury has certainly been a learning experience, one that none of us will forget. It is an experience I would recommend to anyone who has the time, willingness, and concern for our government.

Respectfully,
Linda Johnstone
Linda Johnstone
Foreperson
Tuolumne County Grand Jury 2017-2018