Letter about the Chippewa Falls Prison

Reflections from Wetzel to Bugher

Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 15:47:37 -0600
To: (no_cf_prison list)
From: John Wetzel
Subject: Reflections on 5-25-99 for Bugher

Dear Mr. Bugher,

Last night some people opposing a prison were to meet at the Lafayette Town Hall. Not surprisingly word got out to employees of the Northern Center. Their union alerted it's members to show up at the meeting with posters and balloons and disrupt the process. They did show up. Rather than carry on with our meeting (which I ran) we invited all of them in to share thoughts and ideas. Not surprisingly, they were totally alarmed about the potential loss of their jobs and the only solution being put forth by most of them and our local state reps. was a prison. Not all favored a prison, but it has been pushed as the only alternative.

We also found out that the best information they have been given is about one year old and outdated. We handed out several of DOC 9-1-98 booklets that have been hidden from the public and officials of the Chippewa Valley until 2 weeks ago (they didn't exist we were told). We asked them to take them, copy them, and share them with all NC employees. Without any current knowledge of what the "plan" is it was hard to get past the misinformation of Zien and Sykora and get on with the discussion of the real "facts". Some of which just don't add up as we've been told.

Having been through job losses, it was sad to see the complete trust in the politicians to deliver on all of their promises such as: 312 state jobs for NC employees, transfer rights right into guard positions and training, complete job filling of all support services (laundry, food service, heat plant), no disruption to the Chippewa Falls community, no release of inmates into our area, all prisoners will be "geriatric" except for the able bodies which will be model prisoners waiting for release, no sub-contracting out of prison/center jobs. These are all issues that the Northern Center employees are banking on in the process. As a union person myself I find some of these things amazing to achieve, but then I'm not a politician either.

Another sad outcome I see is the fact that rather than work as a community to solve the problem in a creative way our state representatives have divided the community and opened many old wounds of Supermax. They are convinced that the only thing the state can offer is a prison. You would know more than I that there have to be other uses for Northern Center.

We have heard many descriptions of "geriatric" and how the prison will serve the overcrowded prison system. Sometimes the explanations and definitions have changed in the course of a single evening. When asked about future expansion, which seems very likely, Sykora stated that there can never be any guarantees and that prisons often expand at current sites. The Northern Center site is now surrounded by residential area on all four sides. This hardly seems like the place to build and later expand a prison. The new East Bridge will pass closely by entering Chippewa Falls. The children of the residents ride bike frequently in this area and there are many walks taken by the Center. Hardly seems like a spot for a prison of any sort.

I guess I'd like to again ask why a NC is to be closed if it was not the one suggested? Also, if something needs to be done, why not make a task force to look into expanded uses? It appears that, if left to our tow local state representatives, there is only one solution whether is is in Stanley, Chippewa Falls or anywhere - - prison.

In closing, why does there always seem to be a threat associated with this project? Either accept the prison or lose the Center ! I guess I think it would be worth more in the private sector to the community, but it isn't easy for people to think about losing a state job either, is it?

Sincerely yours,

John Wetzel
6393 164th Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

John Wetzel
Third Grade Teacher
Bloomer Elementary School
1715 Oak Street
Bloomer, WI 54724
715.568.1042
Fax 715.568.1045


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