Johnson County places cost for justice center at $48.1 million

IOWA CITY – Johnson County's supervisors Thursday zeroed in on how much they would spend on a new criminal justice center: $48.1 million.

What they couldn't agree on, after meeting for 2.5 hours, was how much they'll ask for from voters. Four of the five supervisors advocated for a $44 million bond referendum while saving for the difference in the coming years to reach the $48.1 million figure.

Terrence Neuzil was the hold out, saying he wanted the supervisors to look for further savings in the county's budget to keep the bond referendum closer to $39 million.

That's the amount the supervisors have long targeted, but they have found their hopes do not match up with what they and other people from the criminal justice community say is needed in the project.

The justice center is to include a new jail and courtrooms in a facility built on the west side of the block home to the current courthouse. Both the existing jail and courthouse have space and security issues.

The supervisors have been talking about the justice center for several years, and a bond referendum for a new jail failed in 2000.

Thursday's numbers were the most specific yet. The $48.1 million project cost is more than the county had hoped to spend, but it's less than the $53 million estimate they'd been given by their architects.

The justice center would have 243 jail beds. The current jail has 92 beds, but is consistently full and the county pays to house dozens of inmates a day in out-of-county facilities.

It also would include six new courtrooms while continuing to use three existing ones in the courthouse. Space for two additional courtrooms would be available for future construction.

Supervisor Janelle Rettig came up with the plan that reduced the $53 million estimate to $48.1 million. The savings come in part from putting off $3.1 million in courthouse renovations and instead budgeting for those repairs over time. In that sense, taxpayers would still pay for the work.

Neuzil said he thought the county should look for even more savings in its annual budget to lower the bond amount. Some of that could come from cutting other county projects and services.

“If this is the No. 1 priority, then we ought to make in the No. 1 priority now,” he said.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Rod Sullivan said the county is in the business of having multiple priorities and needs to undertake many projects at once.

The board will try to work out its differences on the financing plan in the coming weeks. While there are enough votes to move forward, the supervisors want to present to the public a plan with their unanimous support

The supervisors also agreed Thursday to hold the bond referendum in November. Thursday's meeting was a work session, so no formal action was taken.