Building Lease Approved For AB 109 Programs
Sonora, CA– The Tuolumne County Supervisors approved a lease agreement today for a building to house AB 109 programs.
AB 109, the Public Safety Realignment Act, was passed to help alleviate prison overcrowding as well as the state’s financial crisis. It redefines the definition of felonies, transfers parole duties from state to county control, and implements a variety of alternative custody type programs.
Proposed treatment programs include a Day Reporting Center, Electronic Monitoring Program, Day Treatment Center Program and Work Release.
Five locations in Tuolumne County were considered to house the treatment programs. They included the former Social Security Building on Highway 49, the County Facilities building on W. Jackson Street, an empty furniture store on Stockton Road, the former Employment Development building on Mono Way and a Recreation/Farm Advisor Building in downtown Sonora.
After conducting meetings to gather input from local neighboring communities and other research, county staff agreed that the most suitable site for the Treatment Center was the former Social Security Office Building. A lease was prepared by the County Administration’s Office and approved 5-0 by the Tuolumne County Supervisors today.
The term of the lease on the 6,500 sq. ft. building is for a five year period. The initial cost is 60 cents per sq. ft. for a total of $46,800. Although there are only 27 parking spaces available on site, alternative transportation for program participants is currently being developed.
Deputy County Administrator Maureen Frank says the building will also need to be refurbished for an estimated cost of $30,000.
“That’s putting in all of our network systems, all of our new phone systems, putting in three doors and a couple of walls, she said. “We also need to update some of the ADA (American Disabilities Act) that have been put into place.
Frank says the facility should be in operation by January 1, 2012.
