SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – A joint city-county project to build a new prison and law enforcement center receives a financial boost.

Plagued by unexpected costs associated with the pandemic, preparatory work for the project is behind schedule. In some cases, material costs have doubled.

County supervisors have approved a contribution of up to $ 2 million to the Jail Authority.

The money will help pay for the field work that needs to be done to prepare the excavator for the project.

“Always optimistic that we will turn this on and get there. We need to build this prison and this law enforcement center because the law requires us to have a prison. We’re pretty much at the point that if we don’t do something we’ll be in a sad shape, ”said Rocky De Witt, Chairman of Supervisors.

With gasoline and diesel prices on the rise, Keith Radig said the board wanted to get ahead of the curve in laying the groundwork to minimize those costs.

“That way, we’ve kicked off the project and set the stage, so that when it’s time to bid for the prison, the site is ready to go. So there is no delay in building this, ”Radig said.

Funding for earthworks became an issue after prison authorities decided to delay the bidding process due to surprisingly high material costs.