Courtesy Photo/Image Artist's rendition of the east side (front) of the new jail.

The winds of change Tuesday felt good to Sheriff Jerome Kramer, as the majority of ballots favored a new Lincoln County Jail.

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Voters approved the $15.23 million bond issue, 9,235 to 5,969 votes. Unofficially, the measure passed, 61 percent to 39 percent.

Watchdogs hope it might be built for less money.

For Kramer, the vote was highly gratifying. He was the first official to publicly call for a new jail.

“I started several months after I became sheriff (in 2006),” he said, “making the public aware of the problems there. The county board appointed a jail project coordinator, and committees went to work, and eventually we got to here. This is near and dear to my heart.”

Kramer has worked at the jail since he was 19 years old – 26 years ago.

“I’ve seen lots of injuries – and lives lost – in that facility,” he said. “I knew there was a better way and things had to change; it just couldn’t continue.”

Project coordinator Norb Liebig said people generally understand that both the cost and design are solid.

The exterior design is set for the jail. Most of the interior design is fixed, Kramer said, although some changes can still be made inside.

Liebig said the development process was methodical.

“We got good participation in the planning. I’ve always seen the necessity; it was just a matter of getting people to agree,” he said.

Liebig, a retired Nebraska State Patrol investigator, said he felt a little like a fish out of water working in the political arena when he started the job.

“It’s been a learning experience,” he said. “There are always two points of view and you have to accept that difference, then work to get others to see your viewpoint.”

The need for the jail is not abstract, Liebig said.

“You can physically stand and look at it,” he said. “That helped (convince people). Quite a few committee members toured the jail. The television station showed a lot of photos. I’m sure the people who work there did a lot of talking about the conditions.”

Liebig said he learned a lot about jail construction.

“We had excellent architects apply, and (winning bidder) Treanor Architects are top drawer. They will do the county right. They are very concerned about doing the job in the right way.”

Liebig hopes he and the site and design committee will work on the project to the end.

“I’m going to keep showing up until they (the county commissioners) tell me to leave,” he said.

Groene: should come in for less

Western Nebraska Taxpayers chairman Mike Groene, who worked on the site and design committee and spoke out in favor of the project, said he has mixed emotions.

“I don’t like higher property taxes, but a new jail is needed,” he said. “I hope the county commissioners keep their word and keep the site and design and committee on task. I think people think the planning process was done right, under the guidance of (committee chairman) Larry Piester.”

Groene hopes the jail will come in under budget, now that fuel and supply costs are decreasing.

“We need to keep construction costs as low as possible and still build a quality facility,” he said. “We need to give people hope that government can be run efficiently.”