On Tuesday, the Stockton City Council will review the city’s response to a scathing civil grand jury report exposing significant dysfunction at City Hall.
The report, titled “Crisis in Government,” highlights transparency violations by some council members and a toxic workplace environment marked by harassment and political interference.
The Council will also discuss workforce vacancies and recruitment efforts, providing an update on staffing challenges ahead of the new budget cycle.
Response to grand jury
Council is set to approve Stockton’s second official response to the 2023-24 San Joaquin Civil Grand Jury report, “Crisis in Government.” The report raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability and leadership within Stockton city government, making several recommendations to fix the issues.
It details findings from an investigation into dysfunction at City Hall, citing internal issues among elected officials and external pressure from the social media group 209 Times. The grand jury found that some councilmembers violated the Brown Act, a California law that governs public meetings, and misused official city letterhead to mislead the public.
The report also describes a toxic work environment fueled by harassment and intimidation linked to 209 Times affiliates, fostering a culture of fear.
To address these issues, the grand jury recommended several measures, including distancing the city from 209 Times, establishing rules for handling threats and election transparency, strengthening closed session confidentiality, enforcing penalties for Brown Act violations and hiring an independent reviewer for the city’s ethics hotline.
The grand jury also urged Stockton to increase transparency by disclosing City Council campaign funding, investigating threats and ethics complaints, and preventing leaks of confidential information by councilmembers.
Before moving forward with these recommendations, the council must approve the city’s response, which the city attorney, Lori Asuncion, will then submit to the grand jury.
In August, the city submitted its first progress update, outlining resolved issues and ongoing efforts. A scheduled update in April was delayed “due to staffing changes,” according to a council document. The report’s presentation was also postponed from the May 13 City Council meeting to give newer councilmembers more time to review and prepare.
At that same meeting, however, the council voted to allow councilmembers to use the official city logo on individual communications, even when those messages may not represent the city’s official position.
Staffing reports
The council will also review and accept the city’s annual workforce report on vacancies, recruitment and retention. The public hearing fulfills a 2024 state law requiring transparency on staffing before finalizing the budget.
As of April 17, Stockton Police Management had the lowest vacancy rate at 0%, while Trades and Maintenance reported the highest at 17.2%, followed by Stockton city Employees’ Association at 16.94%.
No employee group exceeded the 20% vacancy rate threshold that triggers additional reporting, according to the meeting’s agenda. The city will update the council on current staffing, hiring efforts and recruitment challenges.
Budget hearings
The City Council will also hold public hearings on and consider adopting the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budgets and annual assessments for several maintenance districts, including funding for landscape, lighting and storm drainage improvements.
The first hearing will focus on the Stockton Consolidated Landscape Maintenance Assessment District, a citywide effort that ensures the maintenance and upkeep of public parks, open spaces and street landscaping across 27 zones.
If there is no majority protest, the council is expected to approve the proposed assessments, which fund maintenance of “over four million square feet of street landscaping, 68 acres of open space, 42 miles of back-up walls, 10.5 miles of bicycle/pedestrian paths, and 12 parks totaling over 114 acres,” according to city documents.
The council will also review the budget and proposed assessments for the Central Stockton Lighting Maintenance Assessment District, which funds the maintenance and operation of 278 non-standard streetlights in the Oxford Manor neighborhood. These specialty lights are part of a dedicated lighting district established in 2011 to enhance safety and improve neighborhood aesthetics in the area of central Stockton.
According to city documents, the total proposed cost for the Oxford Manor lighting system for the next fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through the end of June, is about $64,000, an increase of about $1,700 from the previous year. The increase accounts for higher utility and maintenance costs, as well as potential pole replacements due to vehicle collisions.
To keep the actual assessment within the maximum allowable increase of 3%, the city proposes to draw about $4,500 from reserve funds to help balance the budget.
“The assessments fund the special benefit of 278 non-standard streetlights within the district,” the report notes, ensuring that Oxford Manor continues to have well-lit streets without relying on the city’s general fund. If there is no majority protest, the council is expected to confirm the assessments and adopt the budget for the lighting district.
In addition, councilmembers will consider the proposed budget and assessments for the Stockton Consolidated Storm Drainage Maintenance Assessment District, which oversees maintenance and operation of the city’s stormwater management system.
This district is responsible for 77 pump stations, more than 600 miles of pipeline and 22,500 drain inlets that direct stormwater away from streets and into basins and waterways.
The proposed budget includes funding for maintenance tasks such as weed abatement, debris removal, sediment cleaning, repairs and other work to ensure the system operates effectively. The budget also includes engineering and administrative costs associated with preparing the annual Engineer’s Report and assessment rolls, as well as contingency funds for unplanned maintenance needs.
If approved, the proposed assessments will be confirmed and levied on properties in each of the 15 zones within the district, with the funds restricted to work in the specific zone where they are collected. According to city documents, city general funds are used for this type of work, with the assessments needing to be approved annually following a public hearing.
Finally, the council will consider proposed budgets and assessments for six industrial storm drainage basin maintenance districts, which support flood control and stormwater treatment in areas such as the Western Pacific Industrial Park, Charter Way Industrial Site, Arch Road Industrial Park, Airport Gateway Center, Stockton Airport Business Center and North Newcastle.
According to city documents, the proposed budgets for the districts include engineering fees, attorney fees, estimated basin maintenance work,cCity administration costs and contingency. The proposed actual assessments include more than $17,300 for Western Pacific Industrial Park, nearly $13,000 for Charter Way Industrial Site, more than $17,300 for Arch Road Industrial Park, nearly $34,000 for Airport Gateway Center, about $15,500 for Stockton Airport Business Center and nearly $75,000 for North Newcastle.
Any additional maintenance needs or unexpected costs will be covered by transfers from the districts’ reserve funds.
The hearings will include an opportunity for public comment, and if there is no majority protest, the council is expected to approve the Engineer’s Reports and confirm the assessments for each district.
According to city documents, the proposed assessments “are payable solely from the proceeds of the annual assessments to be levied and collected on the San Joaquin County property tax roll” and “cannot be used to operate, maintain, or support the activities of the stormwater, or any other, utility at large.”