Not all Nebraska prisons are overcrowded

McCOOK, Neb. -- While prisons in Eastern Nebraska make headlines on a regular basis related to overcrowding issues, one Department of Corrections facility in Western Nebraska sits with empty beds and local officials coordinating efforts to attract the attention of prison officials.

A contingent of five McCook community leaders recently travelled to the state capital to meet with the Council of State Governments and promote expansion of the McCook Work Ethic Camp after reading reports of a push for a massive prison expansion in the Lincoln-Omaha area coupled with claims all other options had been deployed.

McCook City Councilman Jerry Calvin was among the group making the trek and he recapped their progress during last week's regularly scheduled City Council meeting.

Calvin said the local group was well received by the Council of State Governments, who are tasked with making recommendations to state legislators pertaining to how to address prison overcrowding issues.

Calvin's interest on the situation peaked after he reviewed the reasonings behind the original creation of the McCook Work Ethic Camp and found the 1997 state legislature was looking to address the very same issues they are facing 17 years later.

"The answers to several of their 2014 concerns were set in motion in 1997. It seems to be an issue of severely underutilizing the Work Ethic Camp," said Calvin, adding the interest and tools are there but the state is simply not committing to using the camp fully.

Following a 1997 legislative action the 100 bed facility opened in 2001 and was reclassified to accommodate inmates in 2007, as well as expanded to 200 beds.

"We are still not even at 200 inmates," said Calvin, adding the WEC housed 154 offenders currently while prisons in Eastern Nebraska dealt with overcrowding issues, "and we have beds here."

The Work Ethic Camp sits on just more than 41 acres of land given to the state at the time of construction and occupies less than 50 percent of the property. The facility has plenty of room for expansion, an idea the McCook group is optimistic legislators will take a serious look at.

"We wouldn't be building up, we would be building out with potential for 500 to 550 inmates," said Calvin.

Calvin said part of the local proposal promoting expansion of the facility includes a commitment from City Council to immediately annex the area into city limits. The annexation would provide several benefits to the facility, including an immediate savings on water and sewer rates and subsequent insurance benefits due to an improved ISO rating.

McCook water and sewer rates are set at one-and-a-half times the normal rate for customers located outside of city limits, such as the WEC. Annexation would reduce the prison's utility rates and provide an estimated savings of more than $4,500 annually, according to Calvin.

Nebraska insures prison facilities on a statewide plan which means an improved ISO rating locally wouldn't immediately provide a savings, however, Calvin said it would help bring down the statewide average. The ISO rating is used to establish a community's fire insurance premiums based on its level of fire protection services.

McCook Utilities Director Jesse Dutcher said the city water infrastructure already in place at the WEC could sustain 400-500 inmates easily, based on current inmate counts and usage.

City Manager Nate Schneider added sewer infrastructure would require little to no modifications as well. Schneider also said he was cautiously optimistic after the meeting and got the impression McCook might fit a couple of different options the Council of State Governments was looking at.

"All in all, I thought it was a good effort and all of us walked away pleased with their willingness to listen to it," said Schneider. Schneider said prior to the meeting he anticipated an approximately 30 minute one-sided meeting with the group and it turned out to be an hour-and-a-half discussion with a lot of questions and interest.

Calvin said the local group promoted the success the Work Ethic Camp has had teaching trade skills to offenders and partnering with McCook Community College for vocational training, a concept prison officials in Eastern Nebraska are now calling for as if the option didn't already exist.

"We did in 2001 what they are saying needs to be done in 2014," said Calvin.

MCC and Valmont Manufacturing coordinate a metal welding training program which is available to inmates and Calvin indicated there was support to expand the program to provide other trade skill options.

"There is no reason the welding class couldn't be replicated into other channels," said Calvin.

Calvin said work crews from the Work Ethic Camp have a good reputation locally and the facility itself receives strong public support.

"I haven't had anyone reach out and say we don't want that," said Calvin, adding it would mean jobs for Southwest Nebraska and he saw no downside.

Calvin said recent proposals suggested a $199 million expansion project in Eastern Nebraska when Western Nebraska could do it a lot cheaper. Calvin encouraged residents to contact him with ideas or thoughts on the topic and said he was open to suggestions. He also said he was grateful for the support already received from District 44 Senator-elect Dan Hughes.