$12 million jail bond falls short by three percent, facility may close

By BRANDON HURLEY
Managing Editor

news@beeherald.com

Future construction of a new Greene County jail was dealt a crippling blow on Election Night.

A $12 million bond issue meant to fund the replacement of a nearly 50-year old jail was rejected Nov. 8, falling less than three percent short of the required 60 percent threshold.

The ballot question registered Greene County voters were met with this week read as follows: “Shall the County of Greene, State of Iowa, authorize a loan agreement and issue its General Obligation Capital Loan Notes in an amount not exceeding the amount of $12,685,000 for the purpose of designing, constructing, equipping, furnishing and making land site improvements for a new Greene County Jail?”

A total of 1,962 voters chose YES, a percentage of 57.45 percent while 1,453 voters - 42.55 percent - were against the measure.

The Greene County Sheriff’s Office was adamant in their campaign leading up to the vote, expressing how much of a need the new jail was, citing space issues. The eight cell facility has operated at full capacity almost everyday since 2016, along with general safety and structural concerns means closure is almost imminent.
Sheriff Jack Williams was disappointed with the outcome, realizing his work isn’t done.

“I will try again in the future,” he said. “Every year we wait, the cost just goes up. I will (now) have to start negotiations with another county to house inmates if and when the jail is closed.”

Williams said the current Greene County jail is in serious danger of closure, noting the numerous state code violations and the need for renovations. The sheriff’s office predicts the jail will be forced to close by the state in the next 2-4 years. Williams and the Greene County board of supervisors believe a completely new jail is the only reasonable route, as even the necessary renovations to the current jail at the corner of Monroe Street and Chestnut Street in Jefferson wouldn’t meet the state’s code, whereas the lack of cell space is a detriment to the county’s ability to house potential inmates.

The $12 million bond issue, if passed, would have raised tax rates for Greene County citizens. The estimated tax levy rate would have been roughly $1.12 per thousand.

The Sheriff’s Office, in a counter argument, said the loss of the Greene County jail could cost local tax payers more than $1 million per year. A closure would require the county to send local criminals to neighboring counties, which comes at a significant hit to the pocketbook. Currently, it would cost the county $350,000 per year in bed rental fees at the Carroll County jail in order to accommodate the minimum of eight prisoners who would have to be transported there, which doesn’t factor in transportation costs and the need for more deputies.

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