The 2012-13 civil Grand Jury will usher in the holiday season by holding its annual dinner on December 14 for current Grand Jurors and Presiding Judge Vincent J. O’Neill, Jr., whose term with the Grand Jury ends at the end of December. At this event, the Grand Jury is pleased to welcome the new Presiding Judge Brian J. Back, who will begin his Grand Jury service on January 1, 2013.

The civil Grand Jury is charged with the oversight of all aspects of the county and its ten city governments, special districts and agencies to ensure that the best interests of Ventura County citizens are being served. At this time of year, the Jury has received most of the responses to the reports issued by the 2011-2012 Grand Jury. The reports and responses can be viewed on the website noted below. Of special interest during this holiday season is the report on Ventura County Animal Services. The county animal shelters are now able to offer more animals for adoption, thus decreasing the need for euthanasia. There have also been improvements in communication with the public, staffing, and training, thus providing a healthier environment for animals and staff. In addition, Animal Services is now part of Ventura County Public Health. For more information about the work of Animal Services, see: www.vchca.org/animal –services.

To find out more about the mission of the Grand Jury, to download complaint forms, and to view previous years’ reports, please visit our website: http://grandjury.county of ventura.org. If you are interested in serving on the 2013-14 Grand Jury, please note that applications will be accepted starting January 1 and will run through April 15, 2013. The Grand Jury is available for speaking engagements throughout the County. If you would like to request a speaker for your organization, please contact: Judith Cohen at 805-477-1600.