The Sac County Sheriff’s Office is seeking approval of the nearly $11 million bond referendum to fund the construction of a new proposed jail facility for the county this November. It was back in August when the Sac County Board of Supervisors voted to place the bond on the ballot after the state jail inspector concluded that the Sac County facility is the second oldest in Iowa and fails to meet current standards, posing safety risks to inmates, staff, and the public. Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure says the current building poses a significant liability to the county.
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McClure says the project will be completed in two phases. Phase one would consist of the new jail, so inmates could stay secured in the existing building until construction is complete.
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A feasible study was collected, viewing the rates of surrounding jails. Sac County will have to start housing inmates in Carroll, Storm Lake, or other surrounding facilities if it continues not to meet Iowa Code standards.
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The bond referendum will be on the Nov. 5 ballot due to it being levied by taxes. McClure says the bond needs to pass, with 60 percent of the voters saying yes to the project to happen.
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McClure says that the state jail inspector has pointed out the flaws in the Sac County Jail for the past six or so years and that it’s only a matter of time before the worst becomes of it.
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For more information or to have additional questions answered, Sac County residents can attend upcoming town hall meetings and get a tour of the current jail. A list of all upcoming town halls and tour dates has been included with this story on our website. Again, the Sac County Sheriff’s Office stresses the importance of voting and hopes to see support from those living in Sac County by approving the bond referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot.