The planned closure of the Great Meadow Correctional Facility has Washington County locals concerned for the future of the region.
The maximum-security prison employs 559 staff and houses 480 incarcerated individuals.
The New York state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision cites a “dramatic decline” in prison population in its decision to shutter Great Meadow. The facility can hold nearly 1,600 prisoners and according to DOCCS the state’s prison population has dropped by nearly 54% since its peak in 1999.
While DOCCS says that all Great Meadow employees will be offered jobs at other facilities in the state, Granville Supervisor Nate Baker says he'd like to see the state reconsider the decision.
“I feel very sad for the employees that are over there now with all the what-ifs and what-nexts and everything else that would be running through their mind. But, November 6th and the following month is Christmastime. It’s really a very hard pill to swallow for the communities,” said Baker.
Great Meadow is set to shutter November 6th.
The state budget signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in April allowed for the closure of up to five state correctional facilities and says at least 90 days notice would be given for the closures deemed necessary for cost savings and efficiency.
“If anybody could look at that and say, ‘economically how’s it going to affect our area?’ There isn’t one person who is going to be able to look at that and say, ‘it’s going to be devastating,’” said Putorti.
Michael Putorti is a co-owner of the Railyard Taproom in Whitehall just down the road from Great Meadow. He worked in the prison for 27 years and says a large portion of his business comes from catering to current employees.
“It’s going to affect restaurants, car dealers, you name it. Home repair places. People aren’t going to be able to maintain their houses because they don’t have jobs or they’re going to move or whatever happen. So, it’s a whole trickle-down effect or every aspect of it. I’d say for us, yeah, it’s going to hurt us quite a bit. Between lunches and families coming in at night, it’s going to be tough,” said Putorti.
Putorti says Washington County and other upstate communities have been overlooked by Albany.
“They really don't care much about us up here. I understand population-wise we're a small factor into it. But we're still all people that live up here and I think no consideration was taken into effect at all,” said Putorti.
Whitehall Chamber of Commerce President Cheryl Putorti says local leaders need to meet in the coming weeks and that the outlook is bleak.
“Obviously, Whitehall is a very small community and we don’t have industry here to help support them or offer other jobs. So, if they do have to leave the area, it’s going to create empty homes, it’s going to affect all of our local businesses that rely on these people who come in and out of their doors everyday,” said Putorti.
Shannon Sharpe owns the Fort Ann Super Stop. She says as much as 20% of her business comes from employees of Great Meadow. They altered their weekend hours to open early on Sundays to accommodate prison staff and even bought a food truck in part to bring it over to the facility throughout the year.
For Sharpe, the closure means more than just a loss of business.
“These guys are coaches at the school here, they’re PTA members, they’re volunteers at the school, they’re volunteers at the EMS, the fire department. They do that on top of their hard work and that’s another area that’s going to be really hurt. These guys truly care about their community and providing for their families. Some of them are a few generations of going through that jail, and they’ve built their roots here,” said Sharpe.
Sharpe plans to host a rally in support of local businesses and Great Meadow employees the first weekend in August.
New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association union President Chris Summers denounced the closures, saying the redistribution of staff throughout the state will not solve statewide staffing issues. NYSCOPBA represents 475 corrections officers and 33 sergeants at Great Meadow.
Also set to close is the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg.
