Calaveras County Reveals Alternative Plan For Jail Property

San Andreas, CA — Outgoing Calaveras County interim CAO Brent Harrington told his Board of Supervisors Tuesday that he is “cautiously” optimistic that an agreement can be reached with Greg Opinski and Galt based developer Ryan Voorhees for the purchase of 57 acres of land for the county´s new Law and Justice Center.

If those negotiations prove fruitless Harrington stated that the second best option would be to build the facility on the property that the county already owns on Mountain Ranch Rd. The 57 acre tract is preferred because it would allow the county sufficient room to expand in future years.

Harrington adds that by March the property issue must be settled for the county to quality for the $30 million state funding made available by AB900. The current jail was built in the 1960´s and can only house 65 prisoners.

Harrington added that this is a “one time shot” to acquire state funding and the county simply cannot afford to not have the land issue settled by the state mandated timeframe.

The thought of invoking the right of eminent domain to seize the property in the best interest of Calaveras County has been dismissed.

Written by Bill Johnson