Santa Cruz County Seeks Volunteers For Civil Grand Jury

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Santa Cruz County community members have a chance to participate in local government this summer as a volunteer on the "civil grand jury." The jury features 19 volunteers who each serve one-year terms, typically contributing about 20 hours per week.

Supervising Judge Syda Cogliati said anyone who enjoys working in collaborative environments should consider serving, and the work includes both in-person and remote meetings.

"The importance of having a Civil Grand Jury that reflects our entire community cannot be understated," Cogliati said in a letter. "The Civil Grand Jury should consist of people who will bring a variety of perspectives to the important work of ensuring that our local government agencies are providing services in a fair, just, and transparent manner. We aim to include people with diverse backgrounds and voices."

Members of the jury are tasked with taking a close look at local government, authoring reports and developing recommendations to make needed improvements. Earlier areas of focus have included wildfire prevention, homelessness, school safety, county elections, water districts, law enforcement agencies and public libraries.

Terms for the 2023-2024 session will begin on July 1, and those who are interested in learning more can choose from a pair of informational Zoom meetings scheduled for April 19 and April 20. Residents can request more info by e-mail, or learn more on the grand jury's website.