The history books are officially closed on a project for which Sheriff Bill Brown has lobbied for years, and Tuesday’s vote by Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors effectively slammed the cover shut on the issue, signaling that patience had finally run out.
The supervisors voted 3-2 to relinquish a state award that would have used $40 million to build what Brown had called the Sheriff’s Treatment and Re-entry Complex, or STAR.
Supervisors Salud Carbajal and Steve Lavagnino voted no on the item, asking that a revised plan from Brown be sent back to the state for review.
When staff mentioned that the two months it could take for a review would cost about $700,000 in staff and consultant time, that proved the poison pill for the board majority, who considered the changes a stretch in the first place.
The complex would have been separate from the main North County jail that is moving forward, and would have provided mental-health and treatment programs for inmates.
The supervisors voted no on the project last year, when operating costs — which would have added $1.8 million for the first two years and $2 million each year after that — proved to be problematic.
In December, the supervisors directed the county CEO to contact the state and find out whether the money could be used for other means, including to build mental-health facilities or to rehabilitate existing jail buildings.
A conference call was held with members of the Board of State and Community Corrections and county staff, but the answer was the county would have to move forward on its original plans or give the money back.
County CEO Mona Miyasato said Tuesday that she and her staff had held a conference call with BSCC officials, and at that time, it was felt that this was a long shot.”
There isn’t a process to resubmit the application, and the county is still working with the state to build the North County jail.
“Our recommendation is to close out the STAR facility and give notice to the state,” she said.
The sheriff had proposed that the county could still provide 228 beds, but 100 of which would be in an unlocked facility that would provide mentally ill and substance-addicted inmates an alternative to custody.
The 100-bed facility would have been operated by the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services Department, which would bill Medi-Cal for patient care.
Undersheriff Barney Melekian addressed the board in lieu of Brown, stating that the department believed there was still an opportunity to get the money.
“This model offers one last chance to step through a door that would be otherwise closed for the foreseeable future,” he said.
The governor’s latest budget “makes it clear” that counties that have received grants such as for the North County jail won’t be eligible for future monies, he said.
ADMHS Director Alice Gleghorn said she felt the opportunity was a “longshot,” but was worth asking if the state would redirect funds.
Lavagnino, who voted against sending the money back, said he felt the county needs both the jail facility and the mental-health beds.
Supervisor Janet Wolf said that the board spent a lot of time last year trying to get information about the STAR Complex, and never felt comfortable with the proposal.
“Frankly, undersheriff, there were a lot of concerns about what exactly would be the program and what would be the cost… There’s really no free money,” she told Melekian.
“We gave so many opportunities for the sheriff to say, “what are you going to do for these people,” because we all care about that,” she said. “But we never got those answers.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
