Napa County Grand Jury
• 2017-2018
New Napa County Jail - Who's Paying for All of This
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 3 findings
F1
The new jail and Re-entry Facility construction timelines and funding have been and continue to be confusing to the public.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Napa County Board of Supervisors direct appropriate staff to produce a dedicated, easily- accessible timeline on the County website that informs Napa County residents of the progress and funding of the jail
F2
Funding and financial instruments for the new jail are complicated; the taxpayers are not fully informed of funding sources and the effects of the options.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Board of Supervisors generate greater publicity for all proposed funding sources of financing, holding public hearings throughout the County to justify the need and rationale for the use of particular funding mechanisms
F3
The Re-entry Facility will assist inmates transitioning back to the community.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Board of Supervisors evaluate the recruitment and retention pilot program after its conclusion on September 30, 2021.
Commendations 20
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CM1 Page 14In 2004, the Napa Board of Supervisors created a Criminal Justice Committee (CJC) to assess the local criminal justice system and its effect on jail use.
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CM2 Page 14In 2007, the BOS adopts Adult Criminal Justice Master Plan, which includes
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CM3 Page 14October 2011, the Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011 resulted in low-risk felons in State facilities be remanded to local jails. Having a more serious criminal history, they brought with them a “prison mentality.”
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CM4 Page 14In 2012 and 2013, the BOS adopted a Strategic Financial Plan, which emphasized setting aside funding for a new jail. The Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) proposed the development of a new 366-bed jail facility and a 50-bed re-entry facility. 14
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CM5 Page 15Sept 2013, the county purchased 27 acres at 2300 Napa/Valley Highway, adjacent to Syar Industries, for the purpose of constructing a 72-bed re-entry facility and future jail. The Staff Secure Re-entry Facility would be staffed by Probation and run by Napa County Department of Corrections.
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CM6 Page 15October 2013, the BOS applied for SB 1002 conditional funding of $14M for design and construction of a re-entry facility. Resolution 2013-124 states county required to pay a portion of costs.
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CM7 Page 15January 2014, Napa County was awarded nearly $14M in revenue lease bonds for constructing adult criminal justice facilities.
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CM8 Page 15August 2014 South Napa earthquake caused significant damage to downtown jail. Some inmates are sent to Solano County jail. Repairs to the building are still under construction (as of this writing).
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CM9 Page 15August 2015, Napa county applied for additional $20M in state lease revenue bonds under SB 863 for jail construction. Resolution 2015-105.
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CM10 Page 15November 2015, the county is awarded partial funding of $2.8 from state lease revenue bonds.
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CM11 Page 15June 2016 Election, Napa County voters turned down the quarter-cent sales tax to provide “much of the funding” for a $103M, 256-bed jail.
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CM12 Page 15April 2017, BOS applied for SB 844 state lease revenue bond financing.
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CM13 Page 15June 2017, County officials break ground on the construction of Re-entry facility. Napa Valley Register reports facility costs are $17M with state providing $13.5M. Remaining money from the county’s General Fund and funds dedicated to criminal justice activities.
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CM14 Page 152017/18 County staff consider ways to fund the estimated gap of $70M to pay for the new jail.
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CM15 Page 15February 2018, Napa County Department of public Works posted it was seeking statements of qualifications (SOQs) from qualified architectural firms for design services required for the construction of a new jail. Facts included in the SOQs include: 304-bed jail; completion by fall 2021; 28 beds reserved for medical/mental health; estimated project cost of $128 million. Total funding from SB 844 and SB 863 to total $22.8M with the balance of project costs funded through “cash and debt financing.” 15
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CM16 Page 16March 2018, all inmates held in Solano County Jail are returned to the completed basement section in the Hall of Justice.
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CM17 Page 16May 15, 2018, Napa County staff presents funding options to the BOS. The gap in funding is presented as $20 million. No Board approval takes place at this meeting.
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CM18 Page 16May 22, 2018, the BOS approve the funding to include excess ERAF money, issuance of COPS up to $20 M, MSA fund balance, and intent to use annual MSA revenue for the community grant program.
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CM19 Page 16Fall 2018, Re-entry facility estimated completion with occupancy within 90 days.
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CM20 Page 16September 2021 (present estimation) new jail completion. The basement in Hall of Justice to be occupied by inmates ready for court appearances. APPENDIX B Jail Tour The grand jury toured the Napa County jail facility, located in downtown Napa, on November 14, 2017. Two subsequent tours allowed jury members to access areas unavailable on the initial tour. The director of the Department of Corrections conducted each tour. In general, and by its own description on the Napa County website (©2017), “the jail is an aging and deteriorating facility and it does not have many of the important facilities and services that maximize safety and health of officers and inmates.” Damage from the August 2014 earthquake is still visible. The Napa jail inmate population on November 14 totaled 196. An additional 47 inmates were housed in Solano County’s jail as a result of the 2014 Earthquake damage. Of the 243 inmates, 200 inmates were male, 43 were female; 172 were pre-sentenced, 71 post-sentenced. Forty-two inmates were assessed as mental health inmates requiring a single cell each. The percentage of felony-convicted inmates is approximately 87 percent. Jury members requested the tour begin at the sally port entry where a new arrestee would enter, followed by the initial booking area. Correctional officers determine risk classification in this area. We observed both single and multi-inmate cells, as well as dormitory-style living areas. At least one cell had boat beds (plastic, canoe-shaped trays designed for sleeping) on the floors, a result of overcrowding. Cells and hallways were clean and mostly free of graffiti. 16 We also observed six medical cells and the medical unit staffed by California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG). On November 14, seven inmates with severe mental health issues were waiting to be transferred back to Napa State Hospital. Kitchen and laundry areas are staffed by inmates who appeared to be performing their jobs well and efficiently. The new Control Room, with a redundant system, has an expected completion of spring 2018. Inmates being transferred from the building to courtrooms travel through a tunnel, or corridor. There are clear lines of demarcation where inmates walk; red emergency call buttons are along the walls, here and in other sensitive areas of the jail. There are two visitation areas, one for inmates and their attorneys, the other for general visitation. Only the conversations between attorney and client (inmates) are unmonitored. Exercise yards are empty of exercise equipment due to safety issues. Overhead netting has been installed to prevent drones from dropping contraband into the yard. Exercise time, mandated at 1 hour per inmate per day, is challenged by the need to segregate inmates by sex or gang affiliation to avoid volatile situations. At the time of our tours, the basement was still under construction. Its estimated time for completion, which would include the return of inmates housed in Solano County, was January 2018. We found all staff we met were collegial. While sharing knowledge of inmates, they expressed respect. Inmate housing areas include: Temporary
Observations 1
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OB1 Page 17General population Protective custody Maximum security Special housing Medical unit. 17
No Responses Found 1
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Napa County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office