The Kern County Grand Jury has released another scathing report about financial mismanagement and lack of transparency in California City. The findings were released Thursday, March 7.
The report describes a dysfunctional city beset by “constant turnover of city managers, a lack of stabilized leadership, and significant delays in improving the annual budget.”
Contributing to the city’s budgetary woes are disappointing cannabis revenues, the closure of the California City Correctional Facility, lawsuits, and the expiration of Measure C. The special tax is set to expire in June, resulting in a $6.14 million shortfall for the police and fire departments.
In addition to its fiscal problems, California City has not been posting its city council meetings, agendas or approved minutes onto its website. “It is not clear how the City Council reconciles the resolutions posted in the agendas against the actual resolutions voted on in open session,” the report said.
The Grand Jury has recommended that the city hire a permanent city manager by June 1, 2024 and direct them to hire a deputy city manager within one month. It has also recommended the hiring of a full-time finance director.
As City News reported last week, Patrick Marsh is now serving as the interim manager for California City. He is one of several administrators who have come and gone in just the past year.
The latest report is the fourth of its kind in six years. Read it in full here.