Johnson County Justice Center Likely to Come up For Vote Again this Year

Proponents of the Johnson County Justice Center look like they are going to try again this year to get the bond to fund the project passed.

Despite mixed results when previously meeting with opponents of the Justice Center, the county's criminal justice coordinating committee decided on Wednesday to try to vote again on a less costly project, likely as soon as they can get the special election scheduled for a May 7 vote.

The previous vote failed this past November election, as Johnson County voters voted 35,403 - Yes to 28,202 - No on the $48 million bond for the project that would have included a 243-bed jail expansion and needed updates and additional courtrooms for the Johnson County Courthouse. This equaled 56 percent of the total vote, however, barely short of the 60 percent needed for a super majority that would have passed the bond.

Gregg Hennigan of the Gazette reports that Johnson County officials are looking to try the vote again, this time with a slightly lower bond:

The county supervisors on Wednesday said they tentatively are planning on seeking a $43.5 million bond issue to pay for a $46.2 million project on May 7. Those numbers are down from a $46.8 million bond and a $48.1 million project that failed to win voter approval in November.

The changes are an attempt to get the necessary voter support for a project that’s been discussed for a decade. The previous version of the justice center garnered 56 percent of the vote in November, but it needed 60 percent to pass.

“I think we’ve come up with the best idea we can,” Supervisor Pat Harney said.

Hennigan reported that the cost reductions will come from more modest additions in areas such as court rooms and prison beds.

Lee Hermiston of the Press-Citizen spoke with Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek earlier on Wednesday, who said the urgency to get the vote again in May is to try to take advantage of the public education campaign launched in favor of the justice center by the county, as well as to stave off potential inflation costs affecting the building of the justice center at a later date.

Pulkrabek said Wednesday that part of the reason they wanted to put the issue back to voters so quickly was to keep those facts fresh in the voter’s minds. Additionally, if the county waits until this fall to put the issue back on the ballot, they can expect inflation to add 2 percent to the overall cost of the facility.

“If we wait and have it this fall, then everything on the pricing would change,” Pulkrabek said.

It remains to be seen whether these reduced costs will satisfy the organized opposition to the justice center enough to gain the four percent the county needs to get its super majority.