Amador County – Amador County Supervisors voted Tuesday to reduce capital facility jail fees on new development fees by 73 percent.
The reduction was based on an updated nexus study for the Amador County Sheriff’s Jail Facility. It was approved on a 4-0 vote, and the changes to take effect Jan. 1, 2012. Single family residential fees, now $7,143 per unit, will go to $1,849. Multi-family fees go from $4,852 to $1,257.
Commercial fees drop from $1.36 to 36 cents; office use fees drop from $1.71 to 44 cents per square foot; and industrial fees go from 68 to 18 cents per square foot.
General Services Administration Director John Hopkins recommended the reductions because the project changed from the expanding the current jail to building a new jail on the county’s 200 acres on Wicklow Way. “Population projections contemplated in 2004-2005 for 2010-2011 did not reach those projections” and “a higher percentage of beds were attributed to future growth which has been recalculated.”
The draft nexus study by Goodwin Consulting Group was delivered to the county Oct. 12. It estimated a total county population of 61,550 people by the year 2040, and predicted a growth in county jobs from 11,600 estimated now, to 18,800, “an increase in 7,200 jobs by 2040.” The jail cost was estimated at $55.9 million.
The study said a Jail Needs Assessment Report requires a new jail with 217 beds, and a building for the facilities of 82,460 square feet.
Supervisor Richard Forster said the nexus did not consider future growth to include early jail population releases initiated by the state with AB-109, which this year could mean 55 more inmates in the county jail.
County Counsel Greg Gillott said “we are at a point where we need to move forward with this, in my opinion.”
Rob Aragon of Aragon Solutions, and representing North State Building Industry Association, said if the county gets the fee done and continues to evaluate it, “we will continue to work with the Board on AB-109.”
A former Preston employee said Preston held more than 700 inmates, and the county should modernize the facility for a county jail. Hopkins said he has taken a recent tour of Preston with staff, including County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley. Hopkins said they have had no indication that the state intends to turn over the facility to the county.
Supervisor Vice Chairman Louis Boitano said “it’s a good thought and we will definitely pursue it, but we will probably build a new jail quicker than the state can turn it over.”
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
