San Andreas, CA — Design work on the Calaveras County Jail has been suspended for at least one month.
The Supervisors made the decision because they want more information on how the state will disburse $26 million set aside for the project through AB 900.
There is some fear that the state could freeze bond funding for construction projects due to the budget crisis. It that would happen to AB 900, it would leave the county without the needed money to finish the job.
Sheriff Dennis Downum says he is disappointed by the Supervisors decision.
"I get the feeling that there’s going to be a concerted effort by the Board to shut down the program and not build what the people voted to build," says Downum. "Within 20-to-25 years this county is going to have 100,000 people in it, and if we don’t do something now, we’re leaving an absolute mess for those people down the road."
In 2007, Calaveras voters approved a local $31 million bond measure, promising a little more than half of the total $58 million needed to build the facility. The state is planning to cover much of the remaining other half.
Supervisors Merita Callaway and Russ Thomas were in favor of continuing the funding of the jail design, while Tom Tryon, Gary Tofanelli and Steve Wilensky were against.
More information about AB 900 funding should be known following a meeting of the California Corrections Standards Authority on March 11th.
Written by bjhansen@mlode.com.
