Sac County officials propose replacing Iowa's second-oldest county jail

Sac City, Iowa – The Sac County Jail in Sac City has been in operation for more than 80 years, and county voters will decide in November whether to build a new jail.

The Sac County Board of Supervisors is proposing to build a new county jail across the street from the existing one, with the old one to be used by the county sheriff's office. The board has voted to put a nearly $11 million bond issue on the general election ballot to finance the two-phase project.

According to the state prison inspector, Sac County has the second oldest jail in Iowa. It does not meet current safety standards, putting staff, inmates and the public at risk. Iowa's oldest county jail is in Pocahontas. Last November, Pocahontas County voters overwhelmingly approved an eight-and-a-half million dollar bond for a new 18-bed jail.