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Politics & Government

Downtown Napa Jail Foes Call for Action

Activist Napa residents are calling for the public to oppose any plan to expand the county jail downtown. Napa County supervisors hear a report on jail locations today.

Expect to hear the voice of the people—many of the people—at today’s , starting at 9 a.m. in the county administration building on Third Street.

According to the agenda, sometime during the day and possibly before the lunch hour, the supervisors are hearing a .

Only one of the three options calls for the jail to be moved to another location, but that’s the one to which many Napa residents are pinning their hopes.

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“We hope the County will not blunder into saddling the with an enormous jail in the heart of a now-vital ,” writes downtown resident Elizabeth McKinne in a letter to Patch this morning.

McKinne’s “we” includes longtime Napa residents Alvin Block and Moira Johnston Block, who Monday circulated an email call to action that reads, in part:

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There is still time for the Napa community to influence the shape, vitality and quality of our future, and our revitalizing downtown. There are far better options! The ’s Saturday front page announced “Study states out-of-town jail still an option,” and calls for a year more of study before committing to the current plan for an enlarged new jail downtown. We agree!! America’s jail systems are in a state of volatile change; how can today’s costs and needs estimates be more than guesses in this changing environment? Will it be outdated before it is built? How will downtown’s burgeoning  economy be impacted by a massive new jail at its heart? How will new technologies affect planning? Questions go on and on. We and the County share the same streets, the same community. We are eager to work with the County as a partner in the planning ahead.

Today's Napa County Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the county administration building, 1195 Third St., third floor.

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