Colusa County officials hopeful of jail, juvenile hall expansion

Colusa County officials remain hopeful their time to expand the jail and juvenile detention center will come.

Three years ago, the Board of State and Community Corrections Executive Steering Committee recommended that Colusa, Yuba and 13 other counties should receive funding from a $500 million jail expansion fund.

The total estimate as of July is just over $20.29 million, with $20 million expected to be used from the grant. The rest will be provided from the county, according to a Colusa County grand jury report.

“Every year that goes by, the cost escalates,” said retired Colusa County sheriff’s Lt. Miguel Villasenor, project manager for the expansion.

“It is a very slow process, it’s not like you get a check and go for it. The state has to approve the plan. As soon as we get a notice to proceed, the next step will be to go out to bid for a contractor,” Villasenor said.

The county has plans to use the current jail space for bookings, visiting areas and laundry, and use funds to build a new inmate housing facility.

The Colusa grand jury recently released its 2017-18 report, urging the county to still consider the update based on its findings after a facility walk through.

The Colusa County Jail was constructed in 1962 and occupied the next year. A project analysis done by the Colusa County Planning Commission states the jail was originally constructed in a “linear fashion,”resulting in poor sight lines.

All inmate movement must be escorted, which is staff-intensive, the grand jury report said.