Communities See State Prisons as Economic Opportunity

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Sep 15, 2000 by Dickinson, Casey J

MORRISTOWN - Residents of this St. Lawrence County town met at the fire hall late last month to debate whether they should invite 1,500 criminals into their community. The meeting came as Seneca

County began welcoming the first of its contingent of 1,500 criminal-residents to the new Five Points Correctional Facility.

The state of New York seems to have no trouble finding communities willing to take its criminals, especially when they bring Five Points' $25 million annual payroll along.

"Our agency maintains a running list of communities that would like to have a facility," says Linda Foglia, spokesperson for the New York State Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

Approximately 55 Morristown-area residents met August 29 to debate whether a new prison would be good for the economic health of the town.

Morristown Supervisor Frank Putman says that, by the end of the meeting, most participants were convinced that a prison would be good for the town. A show of hands yielded about 15 votes against asking the state for a facility versus 40 in favor of joining the list, he says.

Issues addressed at the meeting included the facility's effect on tourism, crime, and the town's quality of life. Residents who work in the state's corrections system, he says, answered many concerns. St. Lawrence County is already home to three medium-security prisons.

The next step, says Putman, is having the town board pass a resolution asking DCS to add the town to the list. He expects the board will pass a resolution later this month.

The town meeting was held only to gauge public reaction to joining the list, not to address any specific siting issues, says Putman. "There's certainly a lot of acreage available," he says.

Morristown, a community of 2,000, is located in St. Lawrence County between Black Lake and the St. Lawrence River.

A new prison could spell increased government benefits for Morristown residents a decade from now. Prison inmates are counted as residents by the Census Bureau, giving the town an edge in receiving government services based on population. Inmates, typically, wouldn't take time out to use such services if they were to make it beyond the wire.

Joining the DCS list is no guarantee of success, says Foglia. The agency has no siting authority and simply passes the list along to the state Legislature where the decisions are made. Though this year's state budget contains no money for new construction, Morristown and other communities would like to secure their place on the list for future siting.

Legislative work helped Seneca County land the Five Points facility, says Assemblyman Robert Oaks (R-C Macedon). He and State Senator Michael Nozzolio (R-Fayette) lobbied other legislators and the governor to bring Five Points' 640 jobs home to their districts.

Located in the Town of Romulus on the former Seneca Army Depot, the Five Points prison is the final step of Gov. George Pataki's promised 5,000-bed expansion of the state's maximumsecurity housing.

The benefits of having a prison are evident for many communities, says Oaks. The 640 correction officers, teachers, counselors, and other state employees who work at Five Points will live, shop, and pay taxes in the area. Expansion of stores and restaurants near the facility, he says, has already started in response to the needs of the new workers.

The Seneca Army Depot, says Oaks, formerly employed 1,000 civilians. The Five Points jobs combined with others in the former base, he adds, will bring the employment level back up to what it was prior to the end of the Cold War.

The state-prison construction brought other economic benefits to Seneca County. In building Five Points, water, sewer, and utility lines were installed across sections of the former base, making them available for industrial development. The former base has been designated a state economic-development zone. The zones offer tax incentives to businesses that bring jobs to an economically distressed community.

Hosting a prison, says Oaks, has become much easier on communities because of changes instituted by Pataki. New facilities are given nongeographic names like Five Points so the host community does not become permanently linked to the prison in public consciousness. The prisons are also sited away from public view and existing structures. These improvements have made having a prison more beneficial and less of a stigma.

Not everyone in Seneca County was in favor of the bringing the prison to town, says Oaks.

"Support was not unanimous," he adds, "but it was pretty strong."