CHARLES CITY, Iowa — Floyd County locked up public support to replace its inferior jail.
County voters overwhelmingly approved a $13.5 million bond issue Tuesday to pay for a new law enforcement center and related improvements to the 77-year-old courthouse.
More than 68.7% of those voting supported the measure, according to unofficial results from the county auditor's office. The referendum required 60% voter approval.
"I'm very, very happy with the outcome," said County Supervisor Linda Tjaden. "This was just amazing tonight to come in with more than 68 percent."
The bonds will fund an addition on the west side of the courthouse to include a 32-bed jail, sheriff's offices, communications center and emergency operations center.
The project also includes an atrium and entrance area between the courthouse and law enforcement center, while adding a central heating and cooling system and replacing windows in the existing courthouse now cooled with multiple window air-conditioners.
Tjaden joined Sheriff Jeff Crooks and members of his staff in touring the county providing informational meetings. Crooks opened the current jail on the fourth floor of the courthouse for tours.
"I want to think all of that paid off," Tjaden said. "I think we had educated voters casting ballots.
"The jail tours were a tremendous help too," she added. "I think it was an awakening for most all citizens that were not aware of our current situation."
The state jail inspector in 2013 declared the current jail no longer met current standards. County officials were faced with the possibility of having to close the jail and transport inmates to other counties.
Among many issues, the layout made it difficult or impossible to properly segregate different groups of inmates; many items didn't meet guidelines, including the bunk lengths; and the jail was not set up to keep the general public and visitors from coming into frequent contact with inmates being escorted in the building.
The bond issue was favored in all quarters of the county, with the heaviest support coming from the three Charles City polling places at 74 percent. The lowest support at 52 percent came from the Rock Grove-Rudd voting precinct.
Overall voter turnout was just 17.5 percent.
Tjaden said she expects the final building design to start right way with an eye to open construction bids later this year and start construction this fall or early next spring.
