Local News in Brief : Seal Beach : Plan Would Lease Jail to State for 20 Inmates

In a deal that could mean up to $144,000 annually in added revenue, the city plans to lease part of its jail to the state to house up to 20 inmates, City Manager Bob Nelson said.

The plan was approved Tuesday by the City Council, Nelson said. Seal Beach Police Sgt. Gary Maiten, who is negotiating the deal, said it will probably take four to six weeks to draft the lease. It will then be presented to the council for final approval.

The lease would next have to be accepted by the state, a process which may take about four months, he said.

One factor concerns the type of prisoners who will be allowed to serve time in Seal Beach. “We will not have any disciplinary problem cases here,” Maiten said. “And under no circumstances will any of these prisoners be released in Seal Beach.”

The police use only one holding cell for prisoners on their way to County Jail, Maiten said. This would continue after the state moves inmates into the jail, he said.

Most of the jail is now used for storage, Nelson said. “We’re anxious to convert that space into an economic gain.”

Maiten said the deal calls for the city to make about $10,000 in improvements to the facility. That cost would be reimbursed with interest by the state over 10 years, he said.

The state will provide its own staff to supervise and cook for the inmates, he said.