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APPROVE RESPONSE TO THE 2025-2026 CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT ON CASE NO. 0125, “STOCKTON CITY COUNCIL: GOVERNANCE IN TURMOIL”
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council.
1. Approve by motion the City’s response to the 2025-2026 Civil Grand Jury Report titled “Stockton City Council: Government in Turmoil,” Case No. 0125; and
2. Authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to make any necessary non-substantive revisions to the responses prior to submission to the Presiding Judge of the San Joaquin County Superior Court; and
3. Direct staff to establish a public tracking matrix identifying each Finding and Recommendation, the City’s response, responsible department or office, implementation status, and anticipated completion date, as applicable.
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Summary
On June 25, 2026, the San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury released its 2025-2026 Consolidated Report. Among the investigations included in the report is “Stockton City Council: Governance in Turmoil,” Case No. 0125.
The Grand Jury's investigation initially involved complaints concerning alleged violations of the Brown Act and the handling of confidential information by members of the Stockton City Council. According to the Grand Jury, the investigation subsequently expanded to examine broader issues involving City governance, Council conduct, the Council-Manager form of government, relationships between elected officials and City staff, fiscal processes, ethics, social media and public communications, campaign finance, and the City's responses to prior Grand Jury recommendations.
The report contains nine Findings and eight Recommendations directed to the Stockton City Council. The recommendations include additional Councilmember training, strengthening the City's ethics framework, establishing written social media guidelines, addressing public statements concerning other Councilmembers and City staff, consideration of an independent ethics commission, and consideration of local campaign contribution limits.
California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05 establish the City's obligation to respond to the findings and recommendations of the Civil Grand Jury. For each Finding, the responding agency must state whether it agrees or disagrees, wholly or partially, and explain the basis for any disagreement. For each Recommendation, the response must identify whether the recommendation has been implemented, will be implemented, requires further analysis, or will not be implemented because it is not warranted or reasonable.
The City's response submittal was due to the Presiding Judge of the San Joaquin County Superior Court within 90 days of publication of the report. However, due to time constraints, the City has requested an extension in order that City Council can consider the report at this Council meeting.
DISCUSSION
Background
Civil Grand Juries are authorized to examine and investigate the operations, functions, and activities of local governmental agencies. The 2025-2026 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury released its consolidated report on June 25, 2026 (Attachment A).
The Stockton investigation, entitled “Stockton City Council: Governance in Turmoil,” examined the City's governance structure and the conduct of the City Council during a period of significant organizational transition.
The Civil Grand Jury identified concerns related to:
• Public disagreements and conflict among members of the City Council;
• The relationship between the City Council and City staff;
• Compliance with City Charter provisions concerning Councilmember interaction with staff;
• Leadership instability and the absence of a permanent City Manager for a significant portion of 2025;
• City fiscal and investigative processes;
• Councilmember compliance with ethics principles and the City's Code of Conduct;
• Use of social media and other public forums in connection with City business;
• Transparency concerning outside interests and political activity; and
• Local campaign contribution limitations and transparency.
The report contains nine Findings and eight Recommendations addressing these areas.
Present Situation
Legal Requirements for the City's Response
California Penal Code Section 933.05 requires a responding public agency to address each Grand Jury Finding and Recommendation individually.
For Findings, the response must state whether the City:
• Agrees with the Finding; or
• Disagrees wholly or partially with the Finding and explains the reasons for the disagreement.
For Recommendations, the response must state whether:
• The Recommendation has been implemented, with a summary of the action;
• The Recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented, including a timeframe;
• The Recommendation requires further analysis, including the scope of the analysis and a timeframe not exceeding six months; or
• The Recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted or reasonable, including an explanation.
Staff has therefore organized the proposed response in a manner that directly corresponds to the statutory requirements. Attachment B provides the draft City Response to the 2025-2026 Civil Grand Jury Report.
The 2025-2026 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury report provides the City Council with an opportunity to review the City's governance practices, clarify roles and expectations, and strengthen existing policies and procedures.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the City's responses to the Civil Grand Jury's Findings and Recommendations and establish a formal implementation tracking process.
The City's objective shall be to respond to the Grand Jury in a manner that is factual, legally compliant, constructive, and focused on strengthening the organization and its ability to serve the residents of Stockton.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The recommendations contained in this staff report are not expected to have a significant immediate fiscal impact.
Implementation of certain recommendations may require future resources, including costs associated with training, development, or administration of an ethics commission, policy development, outside legal or consulting assistance, technology, or additional administrative support.
Any future expenditures requiring appropriation will be brought forward to the City Council for consideration through the City's established budget process.
Attachment A - 2025-2026 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury Report - Case No. 0125
Attachment B - City of Stockton Response to 2025-2026 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury Report - “Stockton City Council: Governance in Turmoil ”