title
Consider the recommended naming of the new Classroom and Vocational Training Center, under construction at 2456 Clay Bank Road in Fairfield, as the Rourk Vocational Training Center
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors consider formally naming the new Classroom and Vocational Training Center, under construction at 2456 Clay Bank Road in Fairfield, as the Rourk Vocational Training Center.
SUMMARY:
The Board of State and Community Corrections defers the naming of new state-financed facilities to the local jurisdiction. The Sheriff’s Office vetted proposed names and recommended the new vocational center building be named after Lieutenant Margaret L. (Peggy) Rourk to honor her pioneering legacy and years of exemplary service. Lieutenant Rourk was the first female Commander of a jail facility in Solano County heading the Claybank Detention Facility for many years and was an early leader advocating for training, education and rehabilitation. Sheriff Thomas A. Ferrara, the Senate Bill 1022 (SB 1022) Work Group and the SB 1022 Project Steering Committee supports the recommendation to rename the SB 1022 Classroom and Vocational Training Center the Rourk Vocational Training Center.
The buildings currently under construction at the County’s Clay Bank campus financed by Senate Bill 1022, the Adult Local Criminal Justice Facilities Construction Program, are designated as the SB 1022 Classroom and Vocational Training Center in project records and agreements. The SB 1022 Classroom and Vocational Training Center will allow for a significant increase in participation of existing inmate jail programs and will allow for the expansion of new programming including training of adult offenders in vocational education, truck/bus driving, green energy installation and maintenance, automotive maintenance, building trades and culinary training. The expanded programming will foster rehabilitation and reentry of adult offenders into society and provide a more complete array of rehabilitation/reentry programs in Solano County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The signage costs associated with approving the name of the Rourk Vocational Training Center are nominal and are included in the approved SB 1022 Classroom and Vocational Training Center Project Budget. The naming recommendation is time sensitive since the construction timeline requires the imminent release of bid documents to provide all interior and exterior signage for the facility. Any delay in naming the center will cause the applicable signage from being included in the SB1022 project budget and the County would then assume the costs.
DISCUSSION:
The naming is consistent with County Administrative Manual B-3 “Naming County Assets” adopted by the Board of Supervisors on September 26, 2006. Lieutenant Margaret L. Rourk made significant contributions to the public service mission of Solano County through her service, progressive thinking and participation in the community.
Lieutenant Rourk was a visionary ahead of her time in the field of corrections and served the citizens of Solano County for 31 years. She believed in humanity and people’s ability to make positive changes in their lives with the right help and direction. She was known for her undying support and progressive vision of jail programs, and generous support of others in need. She combined both of these passions through jail programs such as the kitten fostering program, and the jail garden program which was able to donate hundreds of pounds of fresh produce to the local food bank. She was a revered leader and mentor.
Lieutenant Rourk had an extraordinary career with the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. She was initially hired as a jail matron in April of 1977. In 1979 she was the first Correctional Officer to be promoted to the newly created Correctional Sergeant job classification. In 1989 she was again the first to be promoted to the newly created Correctional Lieutenant job classification. Lieutenant Rourk later became the first female Commander of a jail facility in Solano County heading the Claybank Detention Facility for many years.
During her tenure she participated on the Transition Team for the Justice Center Detention Facility where she helped guide the construction and implement daily operations for that facility. She was also instrumental in the writing of multiple volumes of Policy and Procedures that guide the Custody Division to this day. She implemented the division’s first “inmate classification system” which is used to determine what security level an inmate is assigned to while in custody. She implemented this system at a time when few other agencies were using this type of tool to properly assess where inmates should be housed.
Lieutenant Rourk’s passion for providing inmates with the skills needed to resurrect their lives in a positive productive manner and her level of commitment and exemplary service to Solano County and its citizens is worthy of this designation for the new training center. Lieutenant Rourk’s service record is directly related to the correctional rehabilitative purpose of the training center and makes her a most worthy recipient of having the center dedicated in her name.
Lieutenant Rourk retired from service with Solano County on May 10th, 2008, and passed away on October 13, 2011 at the age of 68.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose to take no action at this time and instruct the Sheriff’s Office to return with additional options; however, this alternative is not recommended as the proposed facility name is supported by the SB 1022 Workgroup and the SB 1022 Project Steering Committee. Also the County would miss an opportunity to honor an individual who made significant contributions to the public service mission of Solano County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Representatives of the Board of State and Community Corrections have been informed of the recommended naming of the facility and take no exception. The Solano County Sheriff’s Custody Association, the Sheriff, and Pat Nicodemus, associated with the former Youth and Family Services’ Jail Based Program, provided the Sheriff’s Office with letters of support to rename the SB 1022 Classroom and Vocational Training Center the Rourk Vocational Training Center (Attachment A).
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION