A town hall meeting was held in Charleston on Thursday evening, November 7. The packed out high school gym sent a clear message—we don’t want a prison built here.
Several members of Governor Sarah Sanders’ administrative team were present to address citizen concerns. Among those Joe Profiri, Sanders Senior Advisor, Benny Magness, a member of the Arkansas Board of Corrections, and Lindsay Wallace, Secretary of the Arkansas Board of Corrections. Also attending, Senator Gary Stubblefield, Senator Bryan King, State Representative Jon Eubanks, Franklin County Judge Rickey Bowman, Logan County Sheriff Jason Massey, and Charleston Mayor Mike Baumgartner, among others.
Early in the meeting, Profiri stated that the final decision to purchase land in Charleston for a new state prison was made in July. However, legislators and local elected officials were only notified of the purchase and the plans days before closing on the property. ”We kept the land purchase quiet so that we could pay a fair value for the land,” admitted Profiri, when pressed for answers regarding the lack of transparency in the transaction.
The administrative team attempted to answer questions posed by moderator, Mark Dietz, owner of KDYN. Audience members often had a response of their own, expressing disapproval in the administration’s plan.
”Are you aware of Arkansas Code 12-25-101,” Dietz inquired of the governor’s team. “I think you need to look at this and make sure you are not breaking the law here… I’m not sure why you would want to force this on a community that clearly doesn’t want it.” Secretary of the Board of Corrections, Wallace, responded that the statute pertained to community-based residential facilities.
Dietz inquired of Magness if the board of corrections would postpone tomorrow’s vote. However, a steadfast Magness declined, stating the vote will move forward on Friday morning (November 8). Meanwhile, Franklin County Judge Rickey Bowman has filed an injunction to prevent the prison plans from moving forward.
According to public records and contracts by the State of Arkansas, the Department of Corrections is contracting Vanir Construction Management of Sacramento.
“The project scope will involve supplementing the department representing the owner during the selection processes and the design, construction, and warranty-period occupancy of a new proposed correctional facility in the State of Arkansas. The project is to increase the number of bed spaces available to the department with a new facility for maximum, medium, and minimum-security inmates.”
The contract went into effect on October 22, 2024 and will end October 21, 2028, unless terminated or canceled. The State of Arkansas will pay the contractor a maximum of $16,542,424 for services and travel reimbursement.
The state has already purchased 815 acres of land in land in Franklin County for $2.950 million with the intent to build a new prison.
Sanders has stated that prison will contain 3,000 beds and will work to alleviate the prison bed shortage in the state. Sanders further stated that it will provide the area with jobs and revenue returns.
However, judging from the response from the town hall, that is not appealing enough for the community to welcome plans for the largest prison in the State of Arkansas into the area.
