Citizens seek say in prison

BY JEFFREY HAGE

THE CHIPPEWA HERALD

May 19, 1999

Opponents of a special needs prison at the Northern Center may be hoping for an act of God.

An act of God, and approval in the state legislature, is all that stands behind the conversion of Northern Center's Highview building into a special needs prison , Rep. Larry Balow told the public at a LaFayette Town Board meeting Monday night.

Balow said a vote on Governor Tommy Thompson's budget is scheduled for June. In the budget is an allocation of $7 million for the Highview project.

While approval of the project seems eminent to many, a group of concerned Chippewa Falls and LaFayette residents called on the Chippewa Falls City Council to give them a voice in halting any prison plans.

Chris Gordon of Chippewa Falls asked the city council to pass a resolution opposing the prison. At the very least, she asked the city to call a referendum seeking public input on the issue.

Chippewa Falls Mayor Virginia Smith said the council was in no position to offer any opinion on the prison because of a lack of information on the matter. Smith also said the city has a lack of information regarding public sentiment on the issue.

"I can't say that the community does or doesn't want a prison," Smith said. Members of the council had the same opinion.

However, the council did pass a resolution asking the state to present it with its specific plans for the Highview site.

Gordon presented a series of petitions which she said showed that the public opposed such a prison.

Over a six day period 180 signatures were collected from Chippewa Falls residents opposing the prison. Another 200 signatures were collected from LaFayette while 144 Chippewa Falls Middle School students signed petitions, Gordon said.

Gordon said many of the residents signing the petitions are concerned that a prison will damage the positive image of Chippewa Falls and hurt the industry and technology base of the city.

Petitioners are also concerned that once a prison begins operation in Chippewa Falls the state will expand the operation without public input, she said.

"Northern Center could be used in a more positive manner," Gordon said.

In supporting the idea of a referendum on the prison issue, Matt Lucas of Chippewa Falls said that Chippewa Falls has always been a city that is good to its neighbors.

"Let the neighbors say what they want," Lucas said. "If they want to build a prison and this is the best place, let the neighbors have a say."

Chippewa Falls residents did have a say in whether a prison moved to Chippewa Falls two years ago.

In 1997 voters defeated a measure to build a SuperMax prison in the city.

The mayor said she believes Gov. Tommy Thompson will not force a prison on a community, she said.

"I take the governor at his word because there are a lot of communities who want these things," Smith said.