Opponents not convinced Franklin County state prison plan is dead - Talk Business & Politics
Internal correspondence from Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC) officials suggesting that a controversial prison project on 815 acres in Franklin County has been canceled is just “an exchange of ideas,”. . .
Internal correspondence from Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC) officials suggesting that a controversial prison project on 815 acres in Franklin County has been canceled is just “an exchange of ideas,” according to the office of Gov. Sarah Sanders. Communications between state officials, obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, indicate that some DOC officials and staffers believe the prison is no longer an active project and they are considering other alternatives to add prison space. Sanders and other state officials announced Oct. 31, 2024, that the state purchased land north of Charleston in Franklin County to build the 3,000-bed prison. The cost for the 815 acres was $2. 9 million. One of the reasons for the western Arkansas site selection was to avoid placing the prison in an area where additional prisons already exist, which could affect potential workforce options, according to state officials. A completed prison would employ nearly 800 at an average salary of more than $46,600, based on estimates. Sanders at the time said the region is large enough to provide a workforce pool from which to hire enough people to staff the prison. Several Franklin County grassroots groups emerged to oppose the prison, and the Arkansas Senate in 2025 rejected a $750 million appropriation sought by the governor to begin work on the prison. ‘BEST OPPORTUNITY’The governor’s office was quick to deny that the leaked messages prove the prison is off the books. “An exchange of ideas by staff doesn’t set state policy and these options have not been approved by the governor or the Legislature,” noted a statement from Sanders’ spokesman Sam Dubke. “Gov. Sanders still believes that a new prison in Franklin County is the best opportunity for the state to grow its prison bed capacity, but will continue to pursue other ways to build a safer, stronger Arkansas, including additional prison bed expansion at existing facilities and the Recidivism Reduction Pilot Program. Since taking office, Gov. Sanders has increased prison capacity by 1,500 beds at existing facilities, empowered law enforcement to crack down on violent drug cartels and gangs, and will continue to do what it takes to keep dangerous criminals locked up and our communities safe. ”In a spring 2025 update,the DOC saidwork to begin building the prison in Franklin County included a cultural resource study, environmental assessment study and efforts to comply with the federal Clean Water Act. A prison in Franklin County would mark the first new unit built in Arkansas since the Ouachita River Unit opened in 2003. A ‘CLEAR ADMISSION’Adam Watson, a Franklin County resident who was a leader in efforts to oppose the prison, said he and many others in the county will not fully believe the project is dead until the land is sold or until the governor issues a “clear admission” that the project has been canceled. “Nobody here is inherently distrusting,” Watson said. “We’re pretty open and accepting people, but when you’re lied to by your own government for 18-some-odd months, it breeds a real culture of distrust. ”Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, whose expansive district includes part of Franklin County, also has been a vocal opponent of the Franklin County prison plan. He said the governor and the Republican Party need to begin considering alternatives other than building large new prisons. King continues to push the concept of working with cities and counties — especially those in areas where a majority of state inmates are from — to find more cost-effective ways to meet inmate housing issues at the local and state level. He also said Sanders may not want to admit that the prison project is dead until after the November election cycle. “This thing about waiting to deal with the bad press of handling it until after the election is it is only going to kick the can down the road and, you know, get us farther away and deeper into a situation that quite frankly has been caused by Republicans over the decades,” King said. Related