GILROY
– Gilroy will have plenty of representation on next year’s Santa
Clara County grand jury.
GILROY – Gilroy will have plenty of representation on next year’s Santa Clara County grand jury.
One year after having no representation on the 19-member watchdog authority, Gilroy landed two of its citizens on the new civil grand jury set to take the reins Tuesday, the first day of the fiscal year.
On Thursday, Gilroyans Jane Howard and Patrick C. Dwyer were selected from 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 the grand jury. Two members of the current grand jury will serve next year as well.
“It’s great to have two representatives from Gilroy,” said Howard, a small business owner who ran unsuccessfully for State Assembly in the last election. “The grand jury has a lot of responsibility to public.”
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 supervisorial district occupy a seat with the grand jury.
To be selected as finalist, Howard and Dwyer passed three rounds of interviews and detailed background checks 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.
Dwyer could not be reached for comment.
“I know its going to be a lot of work, but I think it will be worthwhile,” Howard said. “In these tight budget times, it’s even more important to look at government and try to improve on how it functions.”
