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County staff seek $16,000 one‑time and $20,000 annual support to keep Hall of Justice cafe open
Summary
After seven months of operation, the Hall of Justice cafe has generated modest revenue but runs an operating loss; staff requested $16,000 supplemental for 2026 and an ongoing $20,000–21,000 annual subsidy while exploring alternatives.
County finance and public services staff on Thursday asked commissioners to supplement operations of a recently opened Hall of Justice cafe, saying the temporary concession has drawn steady praise from jurors but has operated at a loss since its April opening.
Finance staff reported through October the cafe had earned $13,431 in revenue and forecast roughly $17,731 for a full year. Direct cafe supplies and food purchases were about $10,789 through October with an estimated $2,800 for the rest of the year; temporary staffing costs paid through an agency were $12,604 to date with an estimated $4,500 through year‑end. After startup costs of about $6,590 and the operating shortfall, staff estimated a projected year‑end loss of about $19,552 and said they have advanced general‑fund cash to cover 2025 operations.
Staff requested a $16,000 general fund supplement for 2026 and estimated the cafe would need roughly $20,000–21,000 per year thereafter, primarily to cover labor. Finance Director Kathy Fung Baxter said the enterprise was launched at the courts’ request to provide accessible, affordable refreshments to jurors and other building visitors; many vending options are located in employee‑only secured areas and are not available to the public.
Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives: raising prices or reducing hours, offering additional vending machines on public floors (the county currently contracts with Evergreen Vending under the state contract for existing machines), placing the operation under another county division such as the Expo Center or gift shop that already handles point‑of‑sale and inventory, or pursuing private vendors/food trucks. Staff said private vendors declined to operate there because traffic is volatile—sales depend on jury activity, which varies week to week—and the building also is undergoing construction that reduces foot traffic.
Expo Center and gift shop staff said they could consider taking the cafe under their management, but they noted the cafe lacks a full commercial kitchen and current operations rely on prepackaged or purchased items. Several commissioners said they value the service for jurors and citizens but expressed concern about ongoing subsidies and asked staff to return with options, including improved vending coverage on public floors and modest price adjustments.
No final decision was made; staff were directed to continue exploring alternatives and include the requested supplementation in the 2026 proposed budget so the board can consider it during the budget adoption process.
