Politics & Government
Funding Sought to Complete 16 County Projects
One of the projects on hold is creating new offices for public defenders in Murrieta.
Nearly 40 Riverside County capital improvement projects valued at $820 million are under way, but a shortage of funds is holding up another 16, according to a report received by the Board of Supervisors today.
The Executive Office submitted -- and the board accepted without comment -- an annual list of infrastructure, communication and other projects managed by the county that are either complete, under construction or awaiting funding.
As has been the case for at least the past five years, jail space remained at the top of the county's list of capital improvement priorities. The main focus now is the $234 million East County Detention Center.
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The project will entail expanding the Indio Jail from 3,906 to 5,156 inmate beds, according to Executive Office documents.
"We are in the final phases of selecting an architect to design the facility, and Supervisor John Benoit and Sheriff Stan Sniff will have an announcement soon on a groundbreaking and when construction will be starting," county Economic Development Agency spokesman Tom Freeman told City News Service.
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Documents indicated the project will result in 1,404 direct jobs, as well as 2,340 indirect jobs.
According to the report, of the 37 capital projects under way countywide, many are near completion, including the most expensive -- the $143.3 Public Safety Enterprise Communication system, which will enable sheriff's and fire department units to communicate utilizing digital technology, with fewer disruptions from natural and man-made obstructions.
Sixteen projects are grounded for either insufficient or zero funds, according to the Executive Office.
Among the projects on hold are offices for county district attorney's personnel in Banning, new offices for public defenders in Murrieta and a new fire training facility at the Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center in Riverside.
"It is likely that many worthy projects will be delayed until new revenue sources are available, or the department is able to fund the project (itself) without impacting the general fund," Executive Office documents stated.
