CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) - Voters in a northern Iowa county have approved a $13.5 million bond to pay for a new law enforcement center and improvements to an aging courthouse.
Floyd County voters approved the bond issue Tuesday, The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported .
“I’m very, very happy with the outcome,” said County Supervisor Linda Tjaden.
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The new law enforcement center will include a 32-bed jail, sheriff’s offices, communications center and an emergency operations center. An atrium and entrance will be built between the center and the courthouse. The 77-year-old courthouse will also receive a central heating and cooling system and new windows.
A state jail inspector found in 2013 that the jail doesn’t meet standards. The jail’s layout made it difficult to properly separate groups of inmates and to appropriately keep visitors separate from inmates being escorted in the building. Many items also didn’t meet guidelines, including bunk lengths.
Tjaden, Sheriff Jeff Crooks and his staff held informational meetings about the issue around the county.
“I want to think all of that paid off,” Tjaden said. “I think we had educated voters casting ballots.”
Crooks also opened up the current jail on the fourth floor of the courthouse for tours.
“The jail tours were a tremendous help too,” Tjaden said. “I think it was an awakening for most all citizens that were not aware of our current situation.”
Work on finalizing the design plans will likely start immediately, Tjaden said. She expects construction bids to open later this year and construction to begin in the fall or next spring.
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Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com
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