Voters in Warren County have approved a nearly $30 million bond issue to finance construction of a new courthouse and jail in Indianola.
Earlier this year, the Iowa Department of Corrections ordered Warren County officials to close the county’s jail after it failed an annual inspection. The jail was on the third floor of the county courthouse. The facility had been cited for having an inadequate water supply and mold as well as major security issues.
Two years ago, Warren County voters rejected a plan to build a new courthouse and jail in Indianola. Yesterday, a similar plan won the approval of nearly 70 percent of voters.
The Warren County Courthouse was built in 1939. It replaced a Victorian-era building that dated back to 1868.