SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Woodbury County leaders hope voters will approve building a new $50.3 million jail on the outskirts of Sioux City to replace the current aging facility.
The new larger jail would replace a building built in 1987 that is dealing with a number of mechanical problems. The Sioux City Journal reports that consultants have identified $22 million in upgrades that are needed in the current jail’s heating and cooling system.
County Supervisor Keith Radig says it makes sense to invest in a new facility instead of repairing the current jail.
County officials say the current jail was built with residential-grade plumbing to save money, but the system has trouble handling the load the jail puts on it so repairs are needed often.
Voters will decide March 3 whether to build a new 110,000-square-foot jail that could house 440 inmates. The new jail would also have room for future expansion. The current jail holds roughly 230 inmates.
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