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Board approves temporary custodial-services contract amid calls for higher contractor health standards; Hahn votes no
Summary
After a debate about contracting under Prop A and health-care standards for contracted custodial workers, the board approved a temporary custodial-services contract for sheriff'managed sites; Supervisor Hahn voted no, citing concerns that the request lacked "gold standard" health benefits and arguing for a reissued RFP with higher labor standards.
Supervisor Janice Hahn held item 43 to press for stronger labor standards in custodial contracts and for a labor peace agreement and county-level "gold standard" health care for contracted custodial workers. Hahn said outsourcing under the county's Proposition A contracting framework had historically allowed contractors to pay lower wages and provide inferior benefits. "If an employer provides less health care than what we provide, our county employees, of course they're able to provide these services cheaper," Hahn said, adding that differences in benefit levels can create hidden costs in health and medical debt (SEG 3023'SEG 3101).
Michael Oh, director of the Internal Services Department, and Sheriff's Department representatives told the board that an urgent operational need requires the temporary contract and that the sheriff expects to issue a new RFP this year that would include the higher healthcare standard. "Because there's an urgent need for these services today, they do need to execute this contract as is, but that gold level health care will be included in the new RFP," Oh said (SEG 3616'SEG 3623). Commander Jeradette Montoya with the sheriff's office confirmed the department's goal to issue a new RFP in short order (SEG 3166).
Supervisor Mitchell and community members raised concerns about sanitary conditions at custody facilities and sought timelines for including custodial work at Men's Central Jail in the new contract; sheriff's staff said they were working on facility-specific protocols and a FASMA (facility assessment) for MCJ expected this month (SEG 3199'SEG 3211).
Public commenters urged diverse hiring practices and called for better conditions; labor and community groups also urged the board to adopt permanent policy changes to prevent routine contracting out of county jobs. Andrea McPherson and advocacy groups spoke in favor of diversity and inclusion in staffing for any contract.
On the roll call for item 43, Supervisor Hahn voted no on principle; the remaining supervisors voted to approve the contract and the motion passed 4-1 (SEG 3330'SEG 3343). Sheriff's and ISD staff said they will return with a new RFP to include the health-care requirement and to cover custodial work in custody facilities more comprehensively later in 2026.
The board did not adopt a county-wide contracting rule at this meeting; Supervisor Hahn said she planned to introduce a motion to establish standards for future contractions.
