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one year old and outdated.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