Assemblyman Luis Alejo, San Benito Superior Court officials and county supervisors are working toward securing funds for additional security personnel at the new courthouse slated to open March 17, according to court officials.
The courthouse, completed in December, was under construction since the spring of 2012. The state-funded courthouse came at a cost of $33 million, but the state did not provide additional funding for security personnel at the facility, leaving county court and board members scrambling to find an extra $400,000 in the budget to cover the security gap.
“It’s a puzzle being put together,” said Court Executive Officer Gil Solorio. “There are pieces being discussed as to how to assemble the solution.”
He said the cooperation between officials is “positive” and details are still being worked out. He said multiple reasons went into the decision to delay the courthouse opening until March 17, which was originally expected to open at the end of January or early February.
The lack of funding for additional security was one such reason to delay the opening, but there was also the need to tie up odds and ends of construction at the facility, said Supervisor Anthony Botelho.
“This will be a process,” said Botelho in an interview. “There is no simple solution for this one.”
Alejo, D-Salinas, said he is working to help restore funds to the county to help pay for additional security costs at the facility.
“There is insufficient funding, I believe, for our third brand of government,” he said. “The sheriff needs more money to provide bailiffs for the court.”
He said because of the economy and changes in how the court system operates, 51 courthouses have closed in the last three years across the state. State funding for courts has been cut as a result.
“We are working to provide additional funds for the courthouse in Hollister,” Alejo said.
Security is a concern at the court because the new facility is larger than the current facility. To run the facility safely requires extra personnel that the current facility does not have. The county announced in December that the San Benito County Superior Court system had enough funds to cover personnel in the short term, but more state funding would be needed when the courthouse opens in March.
“Court security is a critical part to make sure our courts run safely,” Alejo said.
Alejo met with county officials last Friday – including Supervisors Anthony Botelho and Margie Barrios, Solorio and County Sheriff Darren Thompson – to discuss the issue. Botelho and Barrios serve on an ad hoc committee overseeing the court-funding issue.
Botelho said the county, the courts and the assemblyman are working together and not against one another.
“When the governor comes out with a revision of his budget, there are some good odds there might be some revisions for San Benito County” including more funding for the courthouse, he said.
He feels that finding a long-term solution might be a “long shot.”
“I’m a little more optimistic than I was in December,” he said.
