Governor’s Budget Includes Money For Tuolumne County Courthouse

Sonora, CA — As Tuolumne County leaders are preparing to build a new jail, it appears as the state may build a new courthouse at the same time.

Tuolumne County Administrator Craig Pedro says Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed budget released this month includes $55-million for a new courthouse. Pedro adds, “The way that it would turn out is that the jail and courthouse would essentially move on the same schedule for design and construction, so it is very possible that the jail and the courthouse would be under construction at the same time.”

The courthouse would be built by the state and the jail construction would be overseen by the county.

Pedro acknowledges that it would create much activity out at the law and justice center property off Old Wards Ferry Road, but at the same time create many construction jobs over the short-term.

As for the jail, the county has received state grant funding to cover $33-million of the $38.6 million price tag. Design documents are still being worked on, and the plan is for the final construction documents to be completed early next year, and later followed by bids. Construction would get underway and then potentially wrap up in late 2018, with an opening in 2019.