Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

City Passes Resolution; Offers To Donate Over 150 Acres

Effects of a new state prison, which could be located in Prescott, were discussed at a public hearing Thursday, March 21, at the Nevada County Courthouse.

Of more than 60 attending only two publicly voiced negative opinions on the proposed prison system which will be operated by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).

Nevada County Economic Office executive director Jim Sharkey and Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor told the group of the intentions of the prison project.

The project was first revealed to the community at the Prescott City Council meeting the previous Monday night.

Sharkey and Taylor told the group to send in letters to the economic office concerning the prison, and those letters would be sent in with the proposal offered by the council.

These "evidences of support" are one of the final specifications sought by CCA. The group is also interested in support from community churches and businesses as well as individuals.

Other project specifications include a 120- to 500-acre site for the 640 bed unit which will house 18- to 24-year- old male medium security prisoners.

Access to highways, city utilities (water, sewer, electricity, fire protection, etc.) and proper zoning are also sought by CCA.

Officials encouraged the public hearing before turning in a proposal.

Everyone in attendance at the meeting was asked to speak concerning the project.

JPs, councilmen and school board members present were asked to comment on the project as well.

Don Callicott, who is retired from military duty and lives in the Nevada School District, told the group he had lived in several areas while in the military where prisons were located.

Callicott, who is a member of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, told the group the communities he had lived in had "the most stable economies" he had ever seen in communities.

He stated the economy even stayed stable during economic depressions because the prisons still provided jobs while many manufacturing type jobs had to shut down.

He said the local community still thrived because the prison system did spend as much money locally as it was able to do.

Another plus, according to Callicott, is the unemployment rate which is lowest in communities with prison systems.

Crime rate remains low in those communities, also according to Callicott, who spent time in both Kansas and Louisiana serving on military bases near prisons.

A prison in the community would be a stepping stone in the right direction for better paying jobs, tax benefits and other service related jobs, according to Callicott.

Nevada County Judge John William Barham said he echoed Callicott's feelings on the need for the added boost to the economy derived from a prison unit.

Sheriff Harold Vines told the group he felt the county needed the tax revenue benefits and his office would be more than accommodating to a prison unit in the county.

Vines also told the group whatever negative thoughts he had about a prison were outweighed by the benefits.

Councilman Bennie Trevillion questioned Sharkey concerning possible satellite businesses which would be a result of the prison system.

Sharkey told the group and estimated $10 million would be put into the county while the prison was being built.

In addition, Sharkey told the group, more restaurants, hotels and new housing from the salaries would be immediate benefits.

He also said there is a multiplier effect from those new businesses which results in more sales taxes and property taxes which benefit the community.

Prescott School board member Jim Franks told the group the district would need the growth even if it was a prison building locally.

Franks told the group Prescott had lost 300 students in 10 years and with state funding next year that would be a loss of more than $1.2 million to the district.

He said he was interested in the tax base increase to benefit the school systems as well as other programs from a prison system.

A question was raised concerning future industry recruitment and expansion if the prison locates in the community.

Sharkey, who provided a hand-out previous to the meeting, referred to an article from Arkansas Business which told of two new industries planning to locate in Forrest City where a federal prison is under construction.

Another benefit of the prison was posed by local physician Dr. Charles Vermont who said the community's health care base could grow for the needs of the inmates at the prison.

Vermont, and Dr. Mike Young, are the only two remaining doctors in Nevada County after closing of the Nevada County Hospital in early 1995.

Vermont told the group this could be a step towards more medical related jobs returning to the community - benefitting both the community and the prison system.

The only concerns posed at the meeting against the facility were the idea the community would live in fear.

Callicott told the group we live in fear and take risks daily. He said his experience with prisons is fear is minimal.

The group was told the prisoners would be stay within the facility and would not leave to work in the community.

Concern was stated that the facility might be similar to a drug rehab unit that was located in the Nevada County Hospital.

Taylor reminded those present the rehab unit was not a prison, the patients were not prisoners and they were all juveniles.

The meeting ended after nearly an hours input from the community.

In a special called meeting of the council Friday, March 22, at 1 p.m., the council and mayor passed a resolution showing support for the prison project.

The resolution states the city is supportive and committed to serving as the location for the prison, and would donate 156.5 acres to serve as the site for the facility.

This site, according to the resolution, would be annexed into the corporate city limits, and would, therefore, have all city amenities, including water, sewer, electrical service and police and fire protection.

This resolution will be included in a packet of information which will be sent to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

However, there are no guarantees Prescott will be selected as the site for the prison. Several other cities, including Texarkana, Warren, West Memphis and El Dorado, are vying for the facility.