Logan County to again seek voter approval for jail expansion

 

[January 05, 2019] 

LINCOLN 

When the Logan County Board held their December Regular session the topic of raising funds to pay for a necessary jail expansion and for courthouse dome repairs was re-introduced.

A referendum to increase the Public Safety Sales Tax to raise funds for these projects failed during the last election.

For the same purposes, Insurance, Legislative, and Liquor Committee Chairman Annette Welch brought forward a motion to once again put before the voters a referendum to impose a Public Safety Sales Tax.

The tax would be a half percent, which is one-half of one penny or .0050 of a dollar. If you spend $100, the tax would be fifty cents.

Board member Gene Rohlfs said he thought the referendums for the Safety Complex and the courthouse should have been split when the issue first came up, but found out that could not be done.

Rohlfs said he would like to simplify the language and question on the ballot. He said he wants to see the percentage figure for what would go for the courthouse repairs and what would go for the Safety Complex.

Rohlfs said he would also like to see a sunset clause that says when the projects are completed and the bonds paid off, the half percent tax would come back off.

Welch said the Safety Complex is the bigger concern right now. She said due to interest rates, there is some “fluctuation” and it is difficult to get an exact dollar figure.

Ruben said with increased interest rates, the amount could be estimated. He said when they talked about the jail project before, the upper end was $5 million and now the amount for the jail is close to $8 M.

Dewberry Architects drew up architectural plans for either expanding the Safety Complex or building a new one. The primary concern is the jail being at capacity.

At the Board Workshop, Logan County Sheriff Mark Landers gave board members packets showing the plans and said possible costs for a new jail or jail expansion could be around $10 M.

Hepler said it was discussed in committee that the funds would be directed almost exclusively for the jail, and asked if it is even appropriate to list the courthouse on the referendum if it is not being restored.

Bateman said neither one is listed on the actual referendum for the Public Safety Sales Tax.

Welch said it is important for board members to get the word out to the community on what the referendum is for.

The motion for the proposition passed 10-2.

Bateman, Blankenship, Davenport, Estill, Farmer, Jenness, Ruben, Sanders, Schaffenacker and Welch voted yes.

Hepler and Rohlfs voted no.

The referendum that failed last spring will be on the ballots in April.

Board members present were Board Chairman, Emily Davenport, Vice-chairman Scott Schaffenacker, Kevin Bateman, Dave Blankenship, Janet Estill, Bob Farmer, David Hepler, Steve Jenness; Gene Rohlfs, Chuck Ruben, Bob Sanders and Annette Welch.

[Angela Reiners]