TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer - Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Frank Lucido - Engineering Manager
SUBJECT: “Hall of Justice Improvements for Long Term Court Holding,” PW 22-30, Budget Transfer
RECOMMENDATION
title
Director of Public Works requests approval of a Budget Transfer for the following regarding the “Hall of Justice Improvements for Long Term Court Holding,” PW 22-30 (4/5 vote required):
1. Increase transfer-out appropriations by $190,000 in the Accumulated Capital Outlay (ACO), (Fund 3000, Org 3000000, Object 57900) offset by use of its available fund balance to transfer to Project 23013; and
2. Increase Construction Services appropriations by $190,000 in Project 23013 budget (Fund 3000, Org 3000505, Object 52360) offset by a transfer-in revenue from the ACO.
body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The County will need to transport inmates from the new replacement jail to a court holding facility near the courts in downtown Napa. The County evaluated various alternatives to accomplish this and determined that the best option for the near term is to make improvements to the existing jail.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
|
Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
|
Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
|
Where is it budgeted? |
Project will be funded by the ACO. |
|
Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
|
Discretionary Justification: |
This work is needed to start the design process to convert the jail into a court holding facility once the replacement Jail is constructed. |
|
Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
|
Future fiscal impact: |
It is anticipated that there will be a future fiscal impact to complete construction next fiscal year. |
|
Consequences if not approved: |
If no improvements are completed, the existing facility could continue to be used; however, at a very high cost because additional staff will be needed to support 24/7 operation of the existing facility. |
|
County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Effective and Open Government |
|
Additional Information |
None |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable. If a project is proposed at some point, staff will perform CEQA as required.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
At the July 25, 2022, meeting, the BOS approved $100,000 in funding to study alternatives for the transport of inmates from the planned replacement jail site to the current court location and to hold the inmates during the day while they are not actually in court. A report titled “Napa County Jail Transition Plan,” was completed on June 14, 2023, that discusses various alternatives such as modifying the existing facility and the construction of new facilities. After reviewing the alternatives, the recommendation from staff is to make improvements to the existing jail facility to convert it to a court holding facility. During the early planning stages of the replacement jail, it was anticipated that the current Ground Floor Housing Unit of the Jail (located in the Hall of Justice basement) could be utilized for court holding. A secure pathway from the vehicle sally port to the Ground Floor Housing Unit exists and will not require major modification. The unit provides an adequate number of holding cells to accommodate inmates awaiting court appearances and provides a direct connection to the basement tunnel which connects to the courthouse. In this configuration, the balance of the jail will need to be modified to allow firefighter access during unoccupied hours. This means replacing high security door locks, modifying the fire alarm system, and installing special key vaults on the exterior of the facility. In addition to these changes, many of the doors will either be removed or modified so they won’t close on firefighters. The existing control room will be relocated to the area that currently serves as Booking. In the new location, officers can assist with door control and inmate movement as needed. Design, bidding, and some construction for this alternative can start prior to the completion of the new jail but much of the construction will have to take place after inmates have been moved. This option has the lowest upfront project cost estimated at $1,500,000 and is the only option that can be completed in time for the completion of the new jail. To move about 60 inmates through the facility and hold them during the day as they are sequentially moved into court, it is estimated that five correctional officers will be needed. After completion of the project, control staff will no longer be needed to operate doors 24/7 and much of the unused parts of the facility will be put into a mothball state which will save around $200,000 per year in utility bills.
The $190,0000 budget transfer being requested will give staff the ability to issue a task order to Nacht & Lewis Architects for the design of this project and put it out to bid. Staff will return with a request for advertising approval and a project update. If favorable bids are received, staff will return with a funding request to complete the project and permission to award a construction contract. Plans are also being explored to accommodate court holding in the future if/when the Hall of Justice is demolished and/or repurposed.