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Kings County approves participation in regional jail medical feasibility study; county share about $29,000
Summary
Kings County supervisors unanimously approved an agreement to pay their share — roughly $29,000 — of a Central Valley portion of a statewide feasibility study on regionalizing jail medical services, part of a $1.8 million statewide effort led through the Golden State Finance Authority.
Kings County supervisors voted unanimously March 17 to join a multi-county feasibility study that would examine regionalizing jail medical services across California.
Matthew Boyette, assistant CEO for Kings County Administration, told the board the statewide study costs about $1.8 million and that the Central Valley region’s portion is $320,000. Boyette said Kings County’s proportional share of that regional amount is a little over $29,000, to be paid through an agreement that reimburses the Golden State Finance Authority, which administered the request for proposals and will contract with the consultant performing the study.
"The cost for that feasibility study across the entire state of California is roughly $1.8 million," Boyette said during his presentation. He said the regional split is calculated by population and that participating Central Valley counties include Fresno, Madera, Merced and Kings.
Supervisors asked why one nearby county, cited in the discussion as "Clar County," was not participating; Boyette answered that the county opted to conduct its study in-house rather than contract out. Board members framed the study as an effort to explore potential economies of scale and address rapidly rising jail medical costs.
The recommendation before the board authorized Kings County to reimburse the Golden State Finance Authority for the county’s portion of the feasibility study, with the agreement effective March 17, 2026 and continuing until the study is complete. The motion passed on a 5-0 roll call.
Votes at a glance - Approval of March 10, 2026 minutes: motion carried, Joe Nevs — yes; Richard Valley — yes; Doug Verboom — yes; Rusty Robinson — yes; Robert Theer — yes. Outcome: approved. - Consent calendar (including corrected parcel number for a possession and use agreement with Hedrickk Trust properties): motion carried, same 5-0 roll call. Outcome: approved. - Agreement with Golden State Finance Authority for reimbursement of participation in regional jail medical feasibility study: motion carried, same 5-0 roll call. Outcome: approved.
What happens next The Golden State Finance Authority will manage the consultant contract and the feasibility work; Kings County’s payment is a reimbursement to that authority for the county’s committed share. The board moved into closed session later in the meeting to discuss litigation matters, including a named case, City of Avenue v. County of Kings (case no. 26 C6).
