IA: Lake Forest Mobile Home residents still seeking solutions to Woodbury County LEC transportation

Residents of the Lake Forest Mobile Home Community are still seeking solutions to the lack of transportation to and from the new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center.

John Hines, an attorney with Crary Huff Law Firm, spoke to the Law Enforcement Center Authority on Tuesday on behalf of the residents, asking for the transportation conversation to keep going.

Since the new jail was set be constructed, residents of the Lake Forest Mobile Home Community have expressed concerns regarding the proximity to their homes and the lack of transportation for released inmates. When the project was presented to the public, local officials indicated some form of transportation would be available for inmates.

The jail, located on the northeast side of Sioux City at 3701 28th St., is just north of the mobile home park at 3700 28th St. As of now, there is no bus service or other public transportation to and from the LEC, despite multiple conversations with the Sioux City Council, Woodbury County Sheriffs and Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. All three entities have denied responsibility to provide transportation.

Hines said the residents want the transportation conversation to continue, as they continue to see individuals walking down the street and on Highway 75, leaving the jail facility.

Hines also pointed to the break in last year that was due to a newly released inmate. On Jan. 11, 2025, Lake Forest resident came home at 4:21 p.m. and allegedly found a newly released inmate, David Merley, inside wearing her clothes, according to court documents. She told Merley to leave but Merley told her it was his house and slammed the door. Merley fled the scene but was detained by citizens until police arrived.

"Thankfully, there's not been new incidents like the one last year," Hines said.

When inmates were released from the old jail in downtown Sioux City, and no one was available to pick them up, they can walk a short distance to a Sioux City Transit transfer point at the Martin Luther King Jr. Transportation Center.

The new jail, on the outskirts of the city, is about 2.5 miles each from the two closest bus stops — at 7th Street and Lewis Boulevard or the Walmart Supercenter on Floyd Boulevard.

Hines said he has spoken with SRTS Transit Director Brian Pearson who plans to propose a pilot project to see what sort of ridership would exist at the LEC.

"Lake Forest would just be supportive of any efforts to make sure people get a ride back to the public transportation," Hines said.

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