Tulare County Association of Governments is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or discriminated against under its projects, programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or age, as provided in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 200d).
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Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C.200d), and related statutes and regulations provide that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal funds.
Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin by TCAG may file a complaint by completing and submitting TCAG’s Title VI Complaint Form. A complaint may be filed by the individual or by a representative. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination. TCAG will promptly investigate all complete complaints; complaints received with incomplete information may result in delayed investigations and responses.
Title VI Coordinator
Benjamin Kimball
Tulare County Association of Governments
210 N. Church St, Suite B
Visalia, CA 93291
Office of Civil Rights
Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor-TCR
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590
The following procedures will be followed to investigate formal Title VI complaints:
• Within 10 business days of receiving a written complaint, the Title VI Coordinator or his/her designee shall send a letter to the complainant acknowledging receipt of the complaint and determine if the TCAG office has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgement letter informing him/her whether the complaint will be investigated by the TCAG office and will be provided with a contact name and phone number of the personnel assigned to investigate the complaint.
• The investigation will be conducted and completed within 30 days of the receipt of the formal complaint.
• If more information is needed to resolve the complaint, TCAG may contact the complainant. The complainant has 10 business days from the date of the request to send the additional information to the investigator assigned to the case (Title VI Coordinator or his/her designee). If the investigator is not contacted by the complainant or does not receive the additional information within 10 business days, TCAG can administratively close the case.
• A case can be administratively closed if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case.
• The complainant will be notified in writing of the cause to any planned extension to the 30-day rule.
• Following the investigation, the Title VI Coordinator will issue one of two letters to the complainant: 1) a closure letter or 2) a letter of finding (LOF). A closure letter summarizes the allegations and states that there was not a Title VI violation and that the case will be closed. A LOF summarizes the allegations and the interviews regarding the alleged incident, and explains whether any disciplinary action, additional training of the staff member, or other action will occur.
• TCAG’s personnel files are confidential; therefore, specific information on disciplinary actions resulting from the complaints will not be divulged.
• If the complainant is unsatisfied with the decision, he/she has 30 days after the date of TCAG’s closure letter or the LOF to appeal to the TCAG’s Board of Governors. The complainant is entitled to review the denial, to present additional information and arguments, and to separation of functions (i.e. a decision by a person not involved with the initial decision to deny eligibility).
• The complainant is entitled to receive written notification of the decision of the appeal and the reasons for it.
• Any timeline set forth herein may be extended by TCAG upon a showing of good cause. The complainant will be notified in writing of such a change.
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