County Facilities – What’s Coming in 2020 and Beyond

The Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk and Archives office in Santee.

There’s something exciting about moving into new digs. Often it’s a step up from where you just left, whether it’s new paint, carpet or more elbow room.

Here at the County, you may have felt the same way after moving into a brand-new building or renovated office – a nice employee benefit to the County’s ongoing efforts to construct new facilities. The overall goal? Provide technologically up-to-date, energy-efficient and better designed facilities to help us help the public.

After a banner year of new buildings in 2018, grand openings took a back seat to groundbreakings and construction in 2019. But the Santa Ysabel Nature Center opened its doors last month. The 6,000-square-foot nature center includes interpretive and educational exhibits, a conference room for up to 100 people, an outdoor patio, an information area, restrooms and staff offices. 

And no offices here, but fun to mention, the new Sweetwater Bike Park opened Jan. 4 in Bonita.   

So, what else is coming up in 2020? Take a look below:

Openings

Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk East County Operations and Archive: The new 23,900-square-foot facility in Santee will celebrate its grand opening in March. The current El Cajon facility is located inside a converted bank that was built in 1957. The new structure will include the County’s first formal archive for historical documents plus a wedding room and outdoor arbor. The site will also house some Tax Collector staff.  

The Sheriff’s Technology and Information Center at the County Operations Center.

Sheriff’s Technology and Information Center (STIC): The new construction project for the Sheriff’s Data Services and Wireless Services Divisions is expected to wrap next month. This project replaces the last two remaining buildings of the original 1960s County Operations Center campus. The new center, next to the Emergency Operations Center, will include a 40,000-square-foot administration building, a 7,000-square-foot technology building and a new radio tower to replace the existing one. The larger facility will include a 2,000-square-foot media center that can be used for news conferences during regional disasters.  

New Beginnings  

Southeastern Live Well Center: The County is expected to break ground for a new Live Well Center at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Market Street in the fall. The 80,000-square-foot facility will consolidate the existing Southeast Family Resource Center, Public Health, and Mental Health Services into one location. The center will also house Probation staff, provide family strengthening services, and offer office and meeting spaces to community groups. Completion is scheduled for late 2022.

Construction at North Coastal Live Well Center in Oceanside.

North Coastal Live Well Center: Construction is underway for a new 100,000-square-foot Live Well Center in Oceanside’s Ocean Ranch Corporate Centre. Health and Human Services will occupy the building under a lease once construction is completed this fall. The center will include a Family Resource Center, Child Welfare Services, Aging and Independence Services and Public Health. Staff from leased facilities at Union Plaza Court in Oceanside will relocate to the new complex late this year.  

Ramona Family Resource Live Well Center: Plans are in the works to build a new 8,000-square-foot zero net energy facility to house a Family Resource Live Well Center on the Ramona Intergenerational Community Campus. In addition to self-sufficiency programs, the center will include a Public Health Center, Behavioral Health and Child Welfare services. Procurement of a design-build contract will begin this year with a construction completion date in 2023.  

Rendering for new Ohio Street Probation Office.

Ohio Street Probation Office: Construction for a new facility to replace the old Ohio Street office could begin this fall. The new building will be designed to provide rehabilitation and treatment support services. Completion is expected in fall 2021. 

Emergency Vehicle Operations Course: Construction will begin early this year on the new operations course in East Otay Mesa. Completion is anticipated in late 2021. 

Mt. Laguna Fire Station #49: Design for a new fire station will be completed this year and submitted to the Board of Supervisors for funding. Currently, fire station staff is working from an aging federally owned fire station. The new station will be co-located with an existing DPW Road Station and include a two-story building of approximately 5,000 square feet, two vehicle bays and living quarters for up to six personnel.    

Palomar Mountain Fire Station Living Quarters: Design for the new living quarters will take place this year and then be submitted to the Board for funding. The project calls for a 1,900-square-foot living space for six personnel behind the existing apparatus bay. An office in the vehicle bay will be also renovated along with other site improvements.  

San Diego Juvenile Justice Campus: The Kearny Mesa site will be renovated and redeveloped starting this year. The first phase will construct a 96-bed Urban Camp, featuring a campus-like environment which will include four residential buildings, a school, career and technical education building, gymnasium, dining hall and exercise/sports fields. Additionally, it will include new buildings for staff, a kitchen and services to support youth at the Camp and Juvenile Hall. Buildings in the first of three phases will be ready for occupancy late next year.    

Lakeside Library: Construction for a new library in Lakeside is expected to begin late this year. The approximately 17,000-square-foot facility will triple the size of the current branch built in 1962. The zero-net-energy facility will include children and teen spaces, plus a community room. The new facility is expected to open in the fall of 2021.

Board of Supervisors Chambers

Major Renovations and Remodeling

County Administration Center: The newly renovated Board chambers re-opened for business on Jan. 14. Highlights include new seating in a different configuration, a new dais, different flooring and an enhanced A/V system with new cameras and monitors. The rest of the historic building is also under renovation and has a completion date in 2024. 

Bonita-Sunnyside Branch Library Expansion: The expansion is already underway and when completed, the branch will boast a new children’s area, a larger area for teens and various interior improvements. The project is expected to end in April.

Planning Stages

Casa de Oro Library: The County expects to acquire a new site this year to build an approximately 15,000-square-foot library to replace the current branch located in a strip mall. The new facility will include for the first time a community room as well as specific areas for teens and children.  

Health Services Complex Replacement: Planning is underway to redevelop the Health Services Complex in the Midway District into a County Live Well Campus. The project would replace the Rosecrans facility, consolidate associated HHSA functions in the new building and provide a parking structure. The site will also be evaluated for the addition of affordable housing.  

South County Animal Shelter: Plans include building a new 20,000-square-foot building to replace the current shelter in Bonita. Currently, General Services is conducting conceptual site studies for a new shelter site.

For more information on planned and proposed construction projects, see General Services’ Current Capital Projects list.

Board Chambers Reopen as CAC Renovations Continue

The County Board of Supervisors resumed its meetings in its newly renovated chambers at the historic County Administration Center this week. The chambers underwent a complete overhaul over the last five months.

Crews replaced carpets, added seating in the main chambers and permanent seating in the balcony, installed a new dais and modern audiovisual equipment, cleaned the murals in the chambers and upgraded numerous other features. The chambers now also get natural daylight thanks to new automated window shades that were added to the original 1938 windows, which were refurbished as part of the remodel.

Watch a time-lapse video of the work in the chambers below.

The renovations of the chambers are part of a larger effort to upgrade the CAC both inside and out. The work is being completed floor by floor which requires that offices on affected floors move to temporary locations while their spaces are under renovation.

The following offices are in temporary locations at the CAC until January 31:

• Office of Ethics and Compliance (Tower 7)

• Civil Service Commission (Tower 8)

• County Communications Office (LL 070)

• County Counsel (LL 03)

• Office of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs (LL 021)

Labor Relations moved permanently into the former CSG executive office on the 2nd floor of the CAC.

General Services is overseeing the five-year renovation project. Construction is scheduled to be completed by 2024.

Pet of the Week - Fallon

Meet Fallon (Tag #S7169), a nine-month-old cat looking for his new forever family.

Fallon is the ultimate companion! He doesn’t let the fact that he’s missing a leg stop him. He’s energetic, really loves human attention and will be your best friend. So let’s get him adopted!

You can see Fallon at the Department of Animal Services’ shelter in Bonita or visit sddac.com to give another animal their furever home.

Take the EcoChallenge to Reduce Wasted Food

40% of food in the United States is thrown away. You can be the change.

Take the EcoChallenge campaign.

Live Like You’re Retired with RESDC

You don’t need to wait for retirement to enjoy some of the benefits. Active employees can join the Retired Employees of San Diego County (RESDC) to take advantage of the many perks it offers its 6,500+ members.

RESDC Executive Director Mark Nanzer said the nonprofit has evolved over time from a largely social group to an organization that offers benefits, discounts, representation, advocacy, and of course, fun.

“Our goal is to watch over and protect the interests of County employees and retirees, and ensure they stay connected and informed,” Nanzer said.

Start planning for your retirement today.

Discounts: A variety of discounts are available to members including trust and estate planning services, tickets to movie theaters and amusement parks.

Events and Social Activities: RESDC hosts a theater outing, a trip to watch the Padres at Petco Park, an annual summer Flag Day celebration, a health fair and picnic, and a holiday luncheon each year. The organization also holds general meetings highlighting relevant retiree issues through professional speakers including representatives from Aging and Independence Services.

Advocacy and Representation: RESDC is not to be confused with San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA), which administers retirement and associated benefits for eligible employees of the County.  RESDC also works closely with the Board of Supervisors and statewide county retiree associations on behalf of retirees.

Benefits: When you actually retire, RESDC offers group benefits including dental and vision programs, travel insurance, pet insurance and discounted home and vehicle insurance.

Scholarship Program: The organization offers five Merit Scholarships annually. The scholarship program is open to RESDC members’ immediate family who are outstanding high school seniors planning to attend college.

Volunteer Opportunities: Because some retirees are more active than ever, RESDC also helps connect members with volunteer opportunities with the AARP Foundation Experience Corps and the Support the Enlisted Project.

Informed: RESDC distributes a newsletter to keep members up to date on actions of the SDCERA Board of Retirement, pertinent legislation, upcoming meetings and activities. The newsletter—The NETWORK—is available in print and online. Plus, the organization is on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Membership is $5 per month or $60 per year. For more information on becoming a member or the benefits that RESDC provides, visit resdc.net or call 866-688-9229.

Take the EcoChallenge to Reduce Wasted Food

40% of food in the United States is thrown away. That’s like leaving the grocery store with five bags and throwing two into the trash before even getting to your car. 

You can be the change.

The County of San Diego is excited to partner with the San Diego Food System Alliance on the Save the Food, San Diego! EcoChallenge campaign. Employees who sign up will get a free food scale and be asked to track wasted food at intervals throughout the year.

You can join one of the following on-site events to sign up for the EcoChallenge, pick up your scale, and start making an impact!

County Operations Center, Main Plaza 

Monday, Jan. 13, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

County Administration Center, West Plaza

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

If you can’t make it to those events, you can sign up by contacting Domingo Vigil at Domingo.Vigil@sdcounty.ca.gov or Nicole Jaramillo at Nicole.Jaramillo@sdcounty.ca.gov.

As an EcoChallenge participant, you will:

• Understand food waste as a social, economic, and environmental issue

• Learn strategies for meal planning, cooking, storing, and sharing food

• Create impact by tracking and reducing wasted food

The County will be sharing information and strategies through emails and InSite posts, and there will be additional opportunities for engagement with the San Diego Food System Alliance throughout the campaign.

200 More Volunteers Needed to Help Count People Experiencing Homelessness

HHSA employee norma velasco participates in last year’s count.

 Last call. We still need 200 more volunteers.

To date, about 500 County employees have signed up to count people experiencing homelessness. Another 200-plus are needed to reach the number who signed up last year—about 700.

The annual Point-in-Time Count will take place Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 from 3:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. Volunteers are being asked to arrive at 3:30 to allow time to become familiar with a new mobile app that will be used for counting. Use of the app will be optional. It will provide a tool to assist in a more accurate count.

The deadline to sign up is Monday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m., and employees are encouraged to register for the count as soon as possible.

This is the seventh year the County has supported the annual count. During the span of several hours, volunteers count and survey the homeless they see in a certain area.

The Board of Supervisors believes this is such a worthy cause that County employees who participate can do so on County time.  

If you are interested in participating, review the FAQs and then obtain approval from your supervisor via the supervisor approval form.

Once you get approval, please sign up here. Once you have signed up, you will receive an email receipt for this event after signing up to volunteer. In the email there will be a link to a training from The Regional Task Force on the Homeless for you to review.

Members of the public can also join the count. If you know family or friends who would like to participate, they can sign up to volunteer. 

Year In Review: InSite Polls

Find out how your fellow employees voted in some of the most popular InSite polls of 2019:

County Employees Kick Off 10th Anniversary of Live Well San Diego

Hundreds of County employees rang in Live Well San Diego’s 10th anniversary at the San Diego Gulls game over the weekend.

The game kicked off a yearlong celebration of the County’s vision for healthy, safe and thriving communities, while welcoming the team as the newest Live Well partner.

Share your photos from the game and find out more details about the anniversary celebration.

Karla Lopez, HHSA Agency Contract Support and Claudia Souza, HHSA TB control with the gulls mascot

Live well san diego outreach team

Rasheed Hassan (left), HHSA Human Services Specialist, won a ride on the Zamboni

Deputy, 'Ninja Warrior' Takes on Self-Doubt

Emmi Rose running the course in an American Ninja Warrior competition.

Most of the year, she is a San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy, but once a year, she is a ninja warrior competitor.

Emmi Rose, 29, has been a Sheriff’s deputy for four years, but has competed on the NBC television show American Ninja Warrior and its offshoot Ninja Versus Ninja on and off since 2014. She notes that she has not won yet, but she’s not giving up. She applied for the spring 2020 season but won’t find out until this month if she’s been cast. Rose is thinking positively and so is currently in training for the show.

“People are asked, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And people will pick one thing — but why can’t you be this and this and this?” Rose says with a laugh. “People are not one-sided, everyone has so many gifts and talents.

“Life is short. Why not pursue other passions?“

Fitness has been a passion for Rose nearly all her life. She competed as a gymnast until her junior year of high school, attaining a college-level performance. She is drawn to challenging herself physically and mentally, and that explains her career in law enforcement and her competitive streak. 

Ramping up her year-long training for the show means two intense workouts a day on her weekends. This could include rock climbing in the morning and yoga in the evening, or sprint training and weightlifting, or grip strength training and a run. During her work week, she opts to do yoga before her shift because she wants to be focused on her mindset.

Rose was still in college when she was recruited for the Ninja Warrior show the first time. At the urging of a friend, she had competed in an Alpha Warrior obstacle course at SDCCU Stadium, and she placed second fastest among females and 19th among men and women. This led to a call from a Ninja Warrior competitor who told her she should try out for the show.

The first time she did the show, she didn’t make it very far on the strenuous and athletically challenging course. When they invited her back, she asked herself if she wanted to fail like that again in front of millions of viewers.

She decided that it would be an opportunity wasted not to try since so many people are not even at the level where they would be asked to be on the show.

“It’s not about failure, it’s about doing the best that you can do,” she says. “Failure is like the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life because it just pushes me to do even better next time.”

Rose says any training she does for the show benefits her job as a deputy sheriff. When she’s competing, she says she imagines she’s at work and got an emergency call she has to get to her partner.

Life is about getting past hurdles and Ninja Warrior is a fun game version of this, Rose says.

“Take control of your thoughts and close your eyes and picture yourself knocking it out of the park and like killing it,” Rose says. “That is such a powerful mental practice. I would just sit there and visualize doing my routine, perfect, perfect, perfect and then I would just do it how I pictured it.”

Visualization is something that can be applied to our everyday lives too, she says. Anyone can do it before they’re about to do a presentation to their workmates or any other task you may be nervous about, says Rose.

Rose says her sheriff’s colleagues encourage her, and her Ninja Warrior teammates are also inspiring to her. When she first started doing the show, there were only a handful of female competitors but that has changed now, and she’s glad for it. She says she was amazed at how close and supportive everyone was of each other even though they are competing against each other.

“I just want people to know that you don’t have to watch someone do something, you can do it too. It’s the whole point of the show. It’s schoolteachers, it’s clerk workers, it’s law enforcement, whatever running the course,” says Rose. “I’ve never competed against anyone but myself. Just trying to be a better version of myself ever year in every way is my goal and physically this show is one of my markers.”

Even if you aren’t ready to do something really challenging just yet, Rose advises people to prioritize self-care.

“You have to value yourself and you’re important. Carve out an hour for yourself. I wake up every day and pray, I read a devotional, I do yoga and meditate on what I pray about. I start my days intentionally every single day.”