Wayne Goodman, a Solano Civil Grand Jury representative, told Dixon officials about the high rate of success that jurors have with findings and recommendations.

DIXON, CA (MPG) - Representatives Judy Calpo and Wayne Goodman spoke at the regularly scheduled Dixon City Council meeting on Feb. 20 for Grand Jury Awareness Month. Calpo told officials now is the group's "official kick-off point for recruitment" for the next one-year term. With clever wit, Calpo told officials becoming a civil grand juror is simple.

 Judy Calpo, a Solano Civil Grand Jury representative, spoke before officials at the Feb. 20 Dixon Council Meeting about Grand Jury Awareness Month.

"All you need is to live in Solano, be at least 18 and you can't be on the FBI's 10 most-wanted list," Calpo said.

Federal and state governments mandate investigative civil grand juries for individual cases, according to the Solano Civil Grand Jury website, noting the group's primary function is "to be a watchdog over local government and to investigate citizen complaints about public agencies and officials."

A Solano Civil Grand juror is authorized to inspect and audit books related to public funding and legal expenditures, inspect conditions at all Solano County jails and detention centers, investigate any possible public official or employee willful misconduct, and subpoena witnesses and documents.

Calling a juror's work "a very worthwhile cause," Calpo said the civil grand jury is looking for a way to make things run smoother and perhaps save some taxpayer dollars.

"It is a good feeling when it comes around, and you put out a report, and someone responds and says you know what, you guys are right, which we are quite often," Calpo said.

The regional investigative group is often on target, according to Goodman, who is going on his seventh term as a juror.

"We started tracking our response rate, and we found we have over 60 percent acceptance of our findings and recommendations, add in partially accepted, and we have over 80 percent acceptance of findings and recommendations," Goodman said.

Goodman said the group is looking for Solano residents who are not afraid to ask questions that will facilitate change. He likes to "solicit people who are near retirement because it is a little bit of a step down from 40 hours a week to zero."

If Ann Wallace did not step up to the plate, the city of Dixon would remain unrepresented on Solano County's Civil Grand Jury, a fact that Calpo brought to officials' attention before introducing the 35-year resident.

"My husband was a military pilot in Travis, so we came here," Wallace said from the podium. "All of my kids graduated from the high school across the street, and I just love Dixon and the work you are doing and time you are spending, and I appreciate all of you are doing to make Dixon a better place."

Ending the meeting with her wit, Calpo said it only took the grand jury to get Wallace to a council meeting after all these years.

For more information on the Solano Grand Civil Grand Jury, visit solano.courts.ca.gov/jury-duty. Applications are also located in the Dixon City Hall lobby at 600 East A St. 

 Ann Wallace, a longtime Dixon resident, stepped up to serve on the Solano Civil Grand Jury.