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Woodbury County residents will decide next Tuesday on a 50.3 million dollar bond to pay for a new jail. County leaders and those who work in the existing downtown jail say it is too crowded and has numerous plumbing, heating and cooling problems.
At a Siouxland Public Media held a public forum on the referendum today at the Sioux City Public Library, Woodbury County Supervisor Keith Radig was asked about the functions of the new law enforcement facility.
“There’s a lot of naysayers saying we don’t need a jail for prisoners, but it is more than just a jail. This has the sheriff deputies’ offices, I mean it is basically the police station for the sheriff. You are also going to have the entire felony court division moved out there. There will be a lot more efficiency transporting someone to their court date because it is just going to be down the hall.”
The current jail was built for 80 prisoners back in 1986.
The new jail will be built on a plot in the vicinity of 28th street, just north of the Lake Forest Mobile Home Community. The 100 thousand square foot facility will hold up to 450 inmates.
Woodbury county sheriff dave drew also attended today’s forum.
A South Dakota Senate committee on Wednesday narrowly rejected a measure that would have criminalized commercial surrogate pregnancy agents, making it unlikely for such a ban to win approval this year.
The Senate Health and Human Services voted down the bill 4-3 after a debate pitting some families who have used surrogates for pregnancy against critics who argue the practice exploits and endangers women and babies.
