Full Text
FTA Circular 4702.1B, Chapter III, Paragraph 6: All recipients shall develop procedures for investigating and tracking Title VI complaints filed aginst them and make their procedures for filing a complaint available to member of the public. Title VI Procedures and Compliance Complaint Procedure Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color or national origin by Columbia County may file a Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the agency’s Title VI Complaint Form (refer to Appendix Columbia County investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident. Columbia County will process complaints that are complete. Once the complaint is received, Columbia County will review it to determine if our office has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgement letter informing him/her whether the complaint will be investigated by our office. Columbia County has ninety (90) days to investigate the complaint. If more information is needed to resolve the case, Columbia County may contact the complainant. The complainant has ten (10) business days from the date of the letter to send requested information to the investigator assigned to the case. If the investigator is not contacted by the complainant or does not receive the additional information within ten (10) business days, Columbia County can administratively close the case. A case can also be administratively closed if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case. After the investigator reviews the complaint, she/he will issue one of two letters to the complainant: a closure letter or 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. If the complainant wishes to appeal the decision, she/he has seven days to do so from the time he/she receives the closure letter or the LOF. The complaint procedure will be made available to the public on Columbia County’s website (www.columbiacountyga.gov).