Fresno County restaurant inspections target of new grand jury report

Fresno County issued a statement on the latest Civil Grand Jury report Thursday morning prompted by citizen complaints regarding unsanitary conditions at several area restaurants.

The grand jury report stated that an investigation committee was formed to review inspection reports from restaurants cited in the initial citizens complaint. That was followed by a random sampling of county food establishments that found several areas of concern including:

-Lack of violation enforcement

-Inconsistency in code enforcement

-Failure to collect fees for permits and re-inspections

-Facilities operating without current permits

-Facilities lacking Food Safety Certification or Food Handler Card compliance

The Grand Jury determined through these findings several deficiencies within the Fresno County Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Division (EHD), which oversees restaurant inspections:

-Out of date system software that does not meet EHD needs and does not perform as promised

-Lack of sufficient food inspectors to keep up with increases of food establishments

-Fees charged for operating permits, inspections and re-inspections are inadequate to cover costs

-Lack of standardization and supervisor support that leads to inconsistencies in enforcement

-EHD’s website is challenging to locate and navigate; restaurant inspections are difficult to find; out of date reports or reports lacking inspection information

In response to the Grand Jury’s findings, the County issued a statement thanking the jury members for their input and investigation, and reassured that food safety is a priority as many identified areas are actively being looked into.

The County also presented several key points in response to the Grand Jury’s findings:

-Board of Supervisors approved salary increases for the DPH Environmental Health inspector positions, ultimately rising 23% by July 2025

-Board of Supervisors have also approved free parking and affordable health care to help attract and retain staff

-DPH plans to update existing fees and add additional fees to support the program’s operations and address California Retail Food Code requirements. The proposed fees will be outlined to the Board of Supervisors later this year

-DPH has implemented website improvements since the Grand Jury interviewed staff and continues to make improvements to navigation and accessibility

-Grand Jury raised concerns regarding the online database “Amanda” system; the software has improved billing efficiencies and workflows for inspections. Electronic inspection reports are, on average, available to businesses within 24-72 hours. For closures, hard copies are presented immediately

-In October, the County will host the California Department of Public Health statewide Pre-Standardization Conference, ensuring a uniform interpretation and application of the California Retail Food Code

The Fresno County Department of Public Health also noted its commitment to prioritize public safety, referencing the recent botulism outbreak in Fresno County .

The County said that it will provide a detailed response to the Fresno County Civil Grand Jury within 90 days of its receipt of the report in accordance to California Penal Code section 933(c).