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Paradise council adopts responses to Butte County grand jury report, 4-1
Summary
After hours of debate and public comment demanding audit transparency, the Town of Paradise Council voted 4-1 to adopt staff-drafted responses to the civil grand jury's report, selecting mostly the ad hoc committee's language and adding clarifying text on implementation and monitoring.
The Town of Paradise Council voted to adopt its formal written responses to a Butte County civil grand jury report that examined the town's building inspection, permitting and administration functions. Council member Lisonbee moved to adopt the responses and the motion passed 4-1 after public comment and extended council debate.
Town Manager Jennifer McCarthy framed the session as a statutory obligation: "The item before you today is consideration of a response to the grand jury's report on various items within the town of Paradise." The town attorney told the council it must file its written response with the presiding judge by the grand jury's 90-day deadline: "the town council needs to provide its written response no later than 09/03/2026." Council discussion focused on whether staff'drafted option language appropriately balanced acknowledgment of findings with factual clarifications.
Council debated several contested items (hiring and qualifications of inspectors; whether to release an investigator's final audit product; and organizational recommendations in the corrective action plan). Several members said the ad hoc committee's Option A offered clearer, corrective wording; at least one member repeatedly urged full agreement with the grand jury on transparency items. After public comment that pressed for release of the full audit with necessary redactions, Council member Lisonbee moved adoption; the clerk recorded the vote as 4 yes, 1 no (Council member Lang voted no). The mayor voted in favor and the motion carried.
The adopted responses will be transmitted to the Butte County Superior Court as the town's formal reply to the grand jury. Council also left open the option to revisit specific staffing or organizational changes in the corrective action plan if monitoring shows the adopted measures are not working.
