Sheriff Downey holds press conference on SB 1022 funding appeal

Sheriff Mike Downey held a press conference in the Sheriff's Correctional Facility briefing today at 10 a.m. to explain why Humboldt County was denied grant funding for SB 1022 money which would have been used to construct an Adult Local Criminal Justice Facilities Construction Program. This proposed facility would have been built on the dirt parking lot right next to the Humboldt County jail.

Yesterday Sherrif Downey appealed this decision in front of the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Present at the briefing were Undersheriff Billy Honsal and Lt. Steve Knight as well as Humboldt County Supervisors Virginia Bass, Rex Bohn, and Mark Lovelace.

This project would have created a two-story structure that would have housed Mental Health Services, the Probation Day Center (which is now on 5th Street and space is being rented) as well as Sheriff's work programs. It would have integrated services and inmates released could go next door from the jail instead of walking to these other facilities. Sheriff Downey also said that it would have addressed some concerns about nighttime and other releases that were brough up at the forum held recently at the Wharfinger.

Sheriff Downey said the project was excellent and it fit the parameters of SB 1022 and "the plan was to add soft beds" for program oriented people. There were 3 criteria preference points that needed to be met and Humboldt County was denied the award based on not meeting the criteria for matching funds. This denial was communicated to Humboldt County on December 12, 2013. On March 11, 3 counties, including Humboldt were allowed to appeal this decision. Humboldt County lost the appeal.

This project is crucial for us to deal with situations created due to realignment,Sheriff Downey stated.

Sheriff Downey said he was very disappointed in that decision and the press release that went out following the appeal. The point of contention was whether Humboldt County had met the requirements for matching funds.

Sheriff Downey detailed the process and communication between the time that Humboldt County applied for the grant and the denial and finally the appeal. He said that the Board of Supervisors had set money aside for matching funds for this project and authorized him to apply for this grant.

On November 4, 2013, the Sheriff's office received an email at 5:45 p.m., "after staff had gone home", about additional information regarding funding. The CAO was not available and he had been working with the Sheriff's office on this project, however the Assistant CAO responded to the email within the deadline, which was 8 hours.

They were still denied. Sheriff Downey spoke with Katie Howard, the BSCC executive director. It was not until March 6, 2013 that the Department of Finance who had issues with the funding criteria not being met wrote to the Sheriff telling them why they had been denied.

"The basis of my appeal was the time frame to address technical reviews was too short," said Sheriff Downey. "If they had told me exactly what they wanted, we could have had that information
in 5 minutes."

"Because of realignment, counties like ours are drowning, we need help from the state," said Sheriff Downey. "The California State Sheriff'sAssociation is pressing the Governor to provide money for such projects."

"We are ina good position for future funding," said Sheriff Downey. There will be opportunities in the summer he added. Appeals to the BSCC are not commonplace, only 1 other appeal has been awarded, so getting this appeal was a big deal, said Sheriff Downey.