The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors approved plans and specifications for the demolition of the old jail in their meeting Tuesday.
Building services requested that the board of supervisors approve a form of contract, plans, and specifications to move forward to the bidding process for the demolition.
Kenny Schmitz, Building Services Director of Woodbury County, said that this was the first step in the process of the demolition; the next step would be to set a public hearing and send out a public notice.
Terry Glade of CMBA Architects said that they coordinated with the city on what needs to happen to the site after the building is demolished.
In response to public safety concerns, Glade replied that the building will be knocked down portion by portion, barricades will be put up, and streets will be closed to protect the public.
The county supervisors in 2020 decided to stop pursuing costly repairs to the prior jail building and instead to build a new one.
The former jail was built across the street from the Woodbury County Courthouse in 1987.
The first public hearing for the demolition of the jail is December 2nd, and bids will open several days later.
