Codington County Commissioners Approve Resolution for $29.65 Million Bond Election

Codington County Commissioners have approved a resolution for a bond election on November 5th, 2024, to fund the construction and renovation of court facilities, a county jail, and law enforcement facilities. The county plans to issue up to $29,650,000 in general obligation bonds for the project.

The resolution cites the need to improve current facilities to meet the county’s needs, including potentially building a new sheriff operations facility. If the bond election passes, the county will borrow the funds with a repayment term not exceeding 20 years, with the County Commission determining the interest rate.

In addition to the bond funds, the county plans to allocate $8,600,619 from future building funds towards the project, reducing the overall borrowing amount. The bond election will coincide with the General Election on November 5th, 2024, with voters being asked to approve or deny the issuance of the bonds.

The County Auditor will announce the voter registration deadline, and notices regarding registration will be published in the official county newspapers for two consecutive weeks. The election notices will include details about the project and the ballot format, with the County Commission meeting within six days of the election to canvass the results.

This decision comes after the County Commissioners grappled with the proposal and approved the construction manager contract for the potential jail construction in Codington County. The approval and authorization of Chair Rand signal progress towards addressing the county’s infrastructure needs. The decision on whether to build a new detention center will likely be up for discussion in the upcoming election.