GILROY
– Two Gilroyans have been named finalists for next year’s Santa
Clara County grand jury.
GILROY – Two Gilroyans have been named finalists for next year’s Santa Clara County grand jury.
Both Jane Howard and Patrick C. Dwyer are among the 27 finalists for the 17 open positions on the 19-person grand jury; more than 150 people throughout the county applied to be on next year’s grand jury which will convene on July 1.
Santa Clara County’s Grand Jury is an investigative body which acts as a civil watchdog. In the past year, the grand jury has issued reports based on investigations of local school districts’ employee background checking policies, the state of the county crime lab and the operation procedures of several county correctional facilities.
There are no Gilroyans on the current grand jury, although bylaws mandate that at least one citizen from each
county super-visorial district occupy a seat with the grand jury.
“This is a great oppor-tunity to do public
service work and try to improve government to benefit the people,” said Howard, a small business owner who ran unsuccessfully for state assembly in the last election. “It’s an honor to be selected as a finalist.”
Dwyer could not be contacted for this story.
To be selected as a finalist, Howard and Dwyer passed three rounds of interviews with various officials in the county justice system, including one with the county judge presiding over the grand jury, Thomas P. Hansen.
Grand jury members do not get paid for their time, and work an average of 20 to 25 hours a week investigating various government agencies and programs.
Two members from the current grand jury will remain on next year’s jury, and the new 17 will be selected in a random draw Thursday afternoon at the Old Courthouse in downtown San Jose. Three alternates will also be
selected.
