The Perry Lions Club met Monday at Sportsman Park near Dawson for their annual potluck picnic. Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard was the guest speaker, briefing the Lions on his office’s efforts to build a new county jail.
Lion Doug Volz prepared smoked a turkey breast, a pork loin and a black forest ham, and Lion John Andorf brought home made ice cream.
Leonard spoke about the need for the new Public Safety Building and Jail. He said the current jail was built in 1989 and does not meet the needs of the county.
The population of the Dallas County has doubled since the jail was built. The jail is now overcrowded and does not meet state and federal regulations for housing prisoners.
Leonard said if something is not done, the jail might be forced to close and all prisoners be kept elsewhere. Some prisoners are already taken to the Polk County Jail at a cost to Dallas County taxpayers of $50 per prisoner per day plus transportation.
If a prisoner has special medical needs, the cost is $100 per day plus transportation expenses.
The new facility is estimated to cost $16.8 million and will be the subject of a special-election bond referendum August 4.
