Correctional Facility reopening set for September 1
from the Stockton Sentinel    May 20, 2010

With the Kansas state budget approved by the Legislature, and the funds to reopen the Stockton Correctional Facility included, the Department of Corrections will now move forward and ready the building complex for a September 1st reopening.  The amount of $1.7 million has been set out of the state 2010 fiscal year budget, and will be enough to cover the operating costs for approximately nine months of the fiscal year.

Many people from the community and around the state were instrumental in working toward this reopening goal ever since the facility was closed in early 2009.   Included in this group are Stockton's lobbyist Jonathan Small, Representative Eber Phelps, Representative Dan Johnson, Representative John Faber, Representative Pat Colloton, Senator Ralph Ostmeyer; Correctional Facility Task Force members Chris Kollman, Dale Winklepleck, Linda Yohon, and Jessica Iwanski; Stockton City Commissioner Darrell Sammons, former Plainville Mayor Shirley Hendrex, Stockton City Manager Keith Schlaegel, Rooks County Economic Development Director Roger Hrabe and Econ. Dev. Commission; Norton businessman Kurt Eberle; and the members of the Stockton City Council.

Small worked tirelessly during the last Legislative session watching to make sure the funding for the project stayed in as part of the 2011 budget.  Representative Eber Phelps helped shepherd the bill through the final discussion in the House.  Phelps sought out the legislator who was hoping to pull out the money for the Stockton facility and hand it over to the El Dorado Correctional facility for its use.  Phelps pointed out to the legislator that the Stockton closing was to help cover a budget shortfall.

Johnson, Faber, Colloton and Ostmeyer also worked in many ways, from speaking on the floor on behalf of the reopening, to tracking the budget process, and meeting and working with the Correctional Facility Task Force, Rooks County Economic Development and the Stockton City Commission.

At this time the state's male inmate population stands at 8,244.  Prison capacity is 8,131 beds.  With the reopening of Stockton, this will add 128 beds to the prison system.  That is the same capacity it had when it was closed back in early 2009.

Once the budget bill is approved, the project will begin almost immediately, as far as preparing the facility and making sure there are enough beds and uniforms.

In addition to getting the facility ready, staffing requirements will be close to what they were when it was open previous.  DOC spokesperson Bill Miskell stated that the department will have to see how many employees who transferred to the Norton facility last April would want to return to Stockton.   Rooks County Economic Development Director Roger Hrabe said that some of the former employees have not yet taken jobs, while others have been driving to Norton to keep theirs.

The 30 or so jobs the reopening of the facility will generate are a welcome addition to the town.  "It means a lot for Rooks County," said Hrabe.

Phelps heralded the return of the jobs to Stockton, saying its impact on the community was comparable to losing 5,000 jobs in the aircraft industry in Wichita.  "I hope it generates some excitement up there and gets things going," state Phelps.  

Plans are in motion for a rededication of the facility during the summer.