Sheriff’s plans for childcare center and substation are put on hold

BY AMELIA BISCARDI
Daily Post Staff Writer

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus’ plans for a childcare center and substation in Redwood City have been put on hold by County Executive Mike Callagy.

Callagy, in an email to the sheriff, provided a list of reasons he thinks her plan for the combined childcare center and substation in a leased building at 686-690 Broadway ought to be halted — including the allegation that her office did not follow county protocols related to the acquisition of the property, resulting in $750,000 being spent on a vacant building.

Corpus responded to Callagy by saying his assertions about her office’s budget are incorrect and unfairly penalize her employees who would benefit from the center. She also said her office followed county protocols, even hiring the project manager he suggested.

Callagy’s email had pointed out that the sheriff’s office’s budget surplus has shrunk from “a healthy $33 million reserve to a reserve of only $3 million, which falls below the reserve threshold required, under the county’s budget policy, of at least 2%.”

The county’s Office of Budget and Performance previously told the Post that the major items the sheriff’s office paid for with its surplus include spending $27.8 million on its headquarters project.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker previously defended the surplus drop, saying it’s “normal practice to budget one-time capital and technology projects (using the) fund balance.” Previous items paid for with the fund balance included the technology for the sheriff’s new headquarter and a server upgrade.

Childcare center plan

The sheriff’s office announced the launch of a law enforcement child daycare center on Sept. 19, aiming to use it to improve retention and attract more employees, according to a statement issued by Corpus.

The center will be located at 686-690 Broadway in an industrial section and in the same block as a Sherwin Williams store.

The 14,275-square-foot building was leased Aug. 1, 2023, from its owners, the DiNapoli Family LP. The county is paying $35,687.50 per month. The 10-year lease calls for 3% annual increases. The lease gives the county 31 parking spaces.

The lease said that Bob McSweeney, Evan Chang and Matt Murray of CBRE represented both county and the landlord in the transaction, and that CBRE was authorized as a “dual agent.”

In addition to a childcare center, the building would serve as the sheriff’s substation for the unincorporated North Fair Oaks neighborhood. However, it would be located in Redwood City, not the unincorporated area. The sheriff already has a storefront substation at 3121 Middlefield Road in the unincorporated North Fair Oaks area.

The Sheriff’s Office’s initial social media post about the ribbon cutting in Redwood City on Sept. 19 said approval for construction would go before the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8. However, the item has not appeared on an agenda yet.

Pulled from the agenda

Callagy said in the email that Corpus’ proposed items regarding the childcare center and substation would not appear on the Board of Supervisor’s agenda for Nov. 12.

Callagy said his employees have twice asked Corpus’ office to meet with them to discuss repayment of a $7.5 million loan from the county to the sheriff’s office. 

Corpus refuted Callagy’s claim that her office hasn’t followed the correct procedure, saying her people have “diligently” followed every direction from Callagy.

Corpus says she remains ready to bring the childcare center and substation to the board and explain to the board how her office plans to finance the project. 

“Removing this project from consideration at this juncture appears to be a retaliatory action and a continuation of inappropriate interference in the operations of the Sheriff’s Office,” Corpus wrote.