022620 304
Next Tuesday, Woodbury County residents will decide whether to a 50.3 million dollar bond to pay for a new jail. County leaders and those who work in the jail say it is too crowded and has numerous plumbing, heating and cooling problems.
Siouxland Public Media held a public forum on the referendum today at the Sioux City Public Library. Longtime Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew attended the forum. Asked about the need for the new jail, Drew said the jail was built for 80 prisoners back in 1986.
“today’s census this morning at 6:00 this morning was 243, so we house 234. So what we are constantly doing is moving people trying to keep people segregated so we don’t have issues for courts, they may be testifying another person and we run out of space there.”
Woodbury County Supervisor Keith Radig was also on the panel. Radig said after doing some facilities studies, he realized the true cost of keeping the law enforcement center up and running.
“To me, I couldn’t come forward with any good conscience and ask for a referendum on 22 and half-million dollars to do a bandaid on a building that doesn’t meet our needs.”
The Woodbury County 50.3 million dollar jail referendum takes place next Tuesday, March 3.
One lane of Morningside Avenue will be closed into Friday while city crews make repairs to pavement and water mains.
The city of Sioux City Engineering Division in a release announced the closure began Tuesday afternoon and will likely end by Friday morning.
