REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 13, 2026
FROM
DON DAY, Director, Project and Facilities Management Department
SUBJECT
Title
Terminate the Emergency Related to the Electrical Failures at the High Desert Detention Center
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Terminate the finding, first made by the Board of Supervisors on December 16, 2025, that there was substantial evidence that the electrical failures at the High Desert Detention Center on May 10, 2025, when an area-wide power surge caused multiple breakers to seize resulting in a complete loss of power and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services throughout the facility, created an emergency pursuant to Public Contract Code section 22035 and 22050 that required immediate action to prevent or mitigate the loss or impairment of life, health, property, and essential public services to protect the health and safety of inmates and staff.
(Presenter: Don Day, Director, 387-5000)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The action to terminate this emergency will not require the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The High Desert Detention Center Amp Breaker Replacement Project (Project) (WBSE 10.20.0012) was approved by the County Administrative Office (CAO) to be funded by the San Bernardino County (County) Capital Improvement Program Budgets on August 20, 2025, with a total budget of $445,000. The actual cost of the work came in within the approved budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On May 10, 2025, Facilities Management received an after-hours emergency call reporting a complete loss of power at the High Desert Detention Center. Upon inspection, staff determined that an area-wide power surge had caused multiple main electrical breakers to seize, resulting in a fu...
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