Imperial Valley press., 1930-11-04

This is termed in the report as
contrary to law and unbusineSlike,
and "opens the door to criticism
and might lead to an untold a
mount of trouble if allowed to con-
tinue." 1t is further pointed out
that, should any of the buildings
covered by this insurance burn
down, the insurance company
would not, according 10 law. be OBJ
l!ged to pay.
Reorganize Districts
4. Reorganization of supervisor
ial districts was recommended III
the report. The intent of the law,
said the grand jury, is that super
visorial districts should be nearly
as equal in population as possible.
An investigation disclosed that the
districts now arc far from being
equal in population. according to
the report. The grand jury recon-
mended that the board of super
viSors make a survey of the situa-
tion and proceed at once to reor-
ganize the superviSorial districts,
equalizing the size of the districts
and making them as nearly equal
in population as possible.
5. A permanent detention home
was urged by the grand jury, which
pointed out that detention of iuvc'
niles III the county jail. as prac-
ticed in Imperial county at pres
Cnt, is contrary TO the law. The
grand jury described the Juvenile
situation in Imperial county as SER
ious, and recommended that what
ever money is spent on a detention
home be invested in permanent
structure.
g. Justices of the peace, and
former justices. in Calexico, Cali
patria and Brawley townships were
scored by the report for "slovenly"
methods OF keeping books and con-
Quoting the business affairs Of their
offices.
T. Touching on Communist and
Red activities, the grand jury
called the attention of the court TO
the fact that Imperial is a border
county. and so should be especially
careful in maintaining a watch for
Communist activities. It was stat
ca that the incoming grand jury
should be particularly impressed
With the need for a continued ag
gressive and vigorous investigation
cf all persons engaged in the cctiv-
tiles of the Communist party.
s. Other matters covered in ear
lier reports of the grand jury we're
reviewed in their final report yes
terday.
The jury. in their report, stated a
belief that the method of auditing
books which has hitherto been used
4 h. Imperial county is unbuS,EesS-
+ Ike and causes a waste of taXpay-
/ crs money.
After careful consideration the
recommendation that the incoming
grand jury have an audit every
] three months was made. In order
TO DO this properly. II was pointed
cat, the grand jury should be i'm
panclled October of every year.
The system as planned, stated
the report, will have tendency to
keep county offices on the alert for
possible errors and discrepancies
in keeping their books and records
and will save the taxpayers money
Calipatria Scored
Touching on the So-called de
plorable' condition Of business af-
fairs of the city of Calpatria, the
Jury reported that an investigation
had shown that the system Of keep
ing the books and official record.
of the city was hopelessly made
/ uuate. complicated, cumbersome
and apparently designed for tho
purpose of keeping the genera
public from ascertaining the true
status of the finances Of the city
Of Calipatria.
The annual auditS which were
made from time TO time, asserted
the jury in its report, were totally
worthless for any purpose and tend
cd to mislead rather than disclose
+ the true status Of the city govern
ment.
An audit inStigated by the grind
! Jury showed that there was no
money in the city treasury 20 meet
current expenses. There vas no
evidence, however, that public mon
ey had been miSappropriated or
embezzled, said the report, There
was evidence, rather, of gross IN
competency and inefficiency on the
part of city officials.
There is nothing that tho grand
Jury can do in this case but make
recommendations. and those rec
concentrations took the form of adj
vice to voters Of Calipatria to insti-
tutc recall proceedings against city
officials found to be responsible for
the condition, and elect others.
III connection with the writing
of insurance by q member of the
Calipatria school board of trustees
the jury recommended that Cali
patria school districts carefully
check every insurance policy on
school property now in force, and
correct the situation as it exists,
and further that the districts see
that all policies are taken out with
companies not represented by any
member of the board of trustees.
Other school districts Of Imperial
county were recommended to take
steps to see that similar situation
does not exist within their limits.
Evidence introduced before the
grand jury regarding Montgomery
part in the insurance transactions