The Sac County Jail has been in existence for over 80 years and could soon be replaced

SAC CITY, Iowa (KTIV) – This November, voters in Sac County, Iowa, will decide whether or not to approve a multi-million dollar bond issue for a new county jail.

The Sac County Sheriff's Office announced that the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, August 20, approved the inclusion of a $10.9 million bond issue in the November general election.

The bond will be used to replace an outdated jail that the sheriff's office says has “become past its useful life.” It will also fund an addition to the police center.

“On September 13, 1939, the Sac County Board of Supervisors received bids to build the Sac County Jail. Some 85 years later, we are still using this jail,” the Sac County Sheriff's Office said in a press release. “Currently, our jail does not meet standards. The State Inspector of Prisons' annual reports state that no matter how well maintained, our jail poses a safety hazard to inmates, staff and the public.”

According to the Iowa Inspector of Corrections, the Sac County Jail is the second oldest in the state. The oldest is Pocahontas County. A new jail is currently being built in Pocahontas County.

If the bond is approved, the project will be implemented in two phases, according to the sheriff's office.

Phase one will involve building a new jail across the street from the current Sac County Jail. After the new jail opens, phase two will involve demolishing the old one and adding the police center to connect the two buildings.

The tax impact to residents if the bond passes would be $0.0579983 per $1,000 of taxable value. That means a home with a taxable value of $200,000 would cost $4.29 per month, or $51.42 per year, according to the sheriff's office.

For a commercial property valued at $250,000, the tax impact would be $10.87 per month, or $130.46 per year, according to the sheriff's office.

And as for farming, according to the sheriff's office, 40 acres of land would cost $2.43 per month or $29.16 per year.

Through October 15, the sheriff's office plans to hold town hall meetings, offer tours of the existing jail and discuss with residents the need for a new jail.

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