COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Sheriff’s Office

 

DATE:

October 5, 2010

BOARD MEETING DATE:

October 19, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Greg Munks

SUBJECT:

Executive Summary: Preliminary Replacement Jail Site and Pre-architectural Program Report for the Replacement Jail Facility

 

RECOMMENDATION:

A.

Authorize the Sheriff, with support of County staff, to proceed with all necessary steps to bring a proposed Replacement Jail Project at the Chemical Way Site to this Board for consideration;

B.

Approve the Chemical Way Pre-architectural Program; and

C.

Adopt a Resolution authorizing and directing the President of the Board to send a letter to the Mayor and City Council of Redwood City advising of the actions taken and indicating the intent of the Board to pursue the Chemical Way site for the replacement jail.

BACKGROUND:

At its June 29, 2010 meeting, the Board of Supervisors requested that the Sheriff provide additional information relating to the Pre-architectural Program Report and additional financial data regarding the construction and operation of the planned Replacement Jail.

 

The City of Redwood City has recently engaged the County in a series of discussions about siting the Replacement Jail at the Chemical Way site instead of the Motorpool and Adjacency site on the County campus.

 

DISCUSSION:

Redwood City hired an outside consulting firm to facilitate the acquisition of the Chemical Way site with the ultimate goal of the property being transferred to the County.

The Chemical Way site offers some significant advantages over the previously identified Motorpool site. In total, the site is almost five acres in size, nearly double the available land at the Motorpool site. This allows for a lower rise building that can be constructed more economically and allows a more efficient and functional site plan.

The Chemical Way Pre-architectural Program details secure housing units for males and females and corresponding program areas located either centrally or on the housing clusters. 680 secure beds are planned, plus 88 non-secure Transitional/Work Furlough beds for a total of 768 beds. The replacement jail includes 257,112 gross square feet and 156,272 net square ft.

A total of 155 positions will be required to operate the replacement jail if all three housing floors are occupied. The cost of these positions is approximately $35 million a year. Of the 155 positions needed, 63 positions already exist in the Sheriff’s Office.

A phasing option for consideration would be to “shell” or partially complete one floor, leaving it temporarily vacant and not staffed. By partially completing one housing floor, the inmate bed count would drop from 768 to 576. The number of staff necessary to staff this phasing alternative is 129 at a cost of about $29 million, $6 million less than the full facility occupancy option.

 

Approval of this Pre-architectural Program contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Collaborative Community by ensuring a safe and cost effective Replacement Jail Facility.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

Staff costs are 2010-11 dollars. Approximately $35 million for 155 sworn and civilian positions would be needed to operate the Replacement Jail. Of the 155 positions, 63 already exist, offsetting the $35 million by an estimated $17.5 million, for an additional Net County Cost increase of $17.5 million. The phased option on the Chemical Way site will result in a Net County Cost increase of $11.5 million.