DALLAS COUNTY, Iowa — A new criminal court building will be on the November ballot for Dallas County voters after the Board of Supervisors proposed a bond referendum.
The facility will help with issues related to "court function, security, technology, efficiency, and accessibility, while also preserving the historic character of the existing courthouse," according to a website dedicated to the referendum.
The county claims the current courthouse doesn't have the capacity to handle the influx of cases the county has seen.
Over the past 10 years, there has been a 40% increase in all types of cases and an almost 45% population increase, which together creates challenges for the more than 120-year-old courthouse, the county says.
“The Board of Supervisors is in full support of this proposal, as it will accommodate the next phase of our county’s long-range facilities space plan,” said Board Chair Brad Golightly. “This proposal is the culmination of years of conversational workshops with 5th Judicial District personnel and local Judges, along with our County Sheriff and County Attorney. The new building will be designed with expandability for future growth and future technology needs in mind.”
A new courthouse would also ease the county's safety concerns as the current building does not have an entrance for in-custody defendants, forcing officials to bring defendants through the main entrance. If the bond referendum is approved, a separate entrance would be made, "greatly enhancing the safety of everyone involved" according to the website.
Voters will decide the fate of the proposed $59.5 million criminal court building in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. For those under 65, the annual anticipated tax impact on a $100,000 home is $18.56 and for those over 65, it would be $15.65.
The proposed three-story building will be located in Adel. Each floor will be 78,000 square feet and house two courtrooms, a lobby, offices and separate meeting spaces for staff and the public.
Due to the lack of current courtroom availability, the scheduling of trials and hearings have resulted in delays or cases moving to other counties. The new building would have six courtrooms specifically for criminal and juveniles cases and would alleviate those problems, the county says.
The Dallas County Attorney's offices, Juvenile Court Services, the Department of Corrections Parole and Probation staff, criminal division clerks and sheriff deputies would also be inside the proposed facility.
