Local News in Brief : Orange : Council to Study Action on Jail Expansion Plan
The City Council will hold a special session behind closed doors today to consider whether to take legal action over the county’s decision to expand the Theo Lacy branch jail.
In an attempt to ward off a threatened lawsuit by the city, the county Board of Supervisors last week voted to scale back its proposed expansion of the facility on The City Drive, and also decided against housing maximum-security inmates there.
The board voted to reduce the expansion from a limit of 1,737 inmates to 1,437. The jail facility now houses nearly 800 inmates.
Despite the attempt at placation, Mayor Jess Perez indicated after the board’s vote last Wednesday that he would recommend litigation to stop the expansion.
The council is to take up the matter in a closed executive session scheduled at 8 a.m. at City Hall, 300 E. Chapman Ave.
Councilman Gene Byer, the only city elected official who could be reached Sunday night, said he was not going into the meeting with any preconceived notions.
“We’re just discussing the situation as to what action might be taken,” Byer said.
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