Benson City Council turns down Corplan scheme

Council 'nay' on detention center; City wants project funding assurance

Published: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 6:15 PM CDT

Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun

The Benson City Council was not persuaded on the idea of having a detention center built to house illegal immigrants without more proof that the federal government would pay for it.

In a short discussion Monday night, the council heard from James Parkey of Corplan Corrections, headquartered in Texas.

Corplan Corrections has proposed building a detention center near the Benson Municipal Airport using a $21 million bond the city would secure.

Corplan said the bonds would be retired from funds paid by federal agencies to house illegal immigrants in the holding facility.

But City Manager Glenn Nichols said he has checked with numerous agencies such as Immigration Customs Enforcement, U.S. Marshal's Service and U.S. Customs, and all stated they would only use such a facility if there is a valid contract.

With no contract in place, Nichols recommended the council not proceed with plans to build the facility.

Parkey, who attended Monday's meeting, said there would be no liability to the city, and Corplan Corrections is asking the city to back the plan so they can "go to Washington and find a contract."

Councilman Al Sacco said the liability to the city is "our good name." The first-term council member said he would not support such a proposal ever.

Parkey said with more illegal immigrants being apprehended by authorities in Southern Arizona, this proposal is Benson's opportunity to get ahead economically.

Councilwoman Jo Deen Boncquet said the city could secure bonds and use funding on projects more beneficial to the city, noting that illegal immigration is a hot topic in Arizona right now, and Benson should stay out of the business.

Vice Mayor Toney King said when he first heard the proposal in January, it sounded like a good business venture for the city, but now, with so many questions surrounding the project, the risks aren't worth it.

Councilman John Lodzinski said with too many unanswered questions it's better to "keep my hand on the city wallet."

Councilman David Lambert questioned the deal, stating if it was such a good investment, why didn't the company find sponsors or investors, instead of having the city secure the required funding.

Mayor Mark Fenn said at this time he agrees with fellow council members, telling Parkey that Corplan should get the federal contracts in writing before coming to cities with the proposal.

Councilwoman Lori McGoffin was not in attendance, and no action was taken on the issue.

AZ small town warned about Corplan

Via Ken's list-serve at the Private Corrections Working Group. These people cashing in on exploiting the devastation of immigrant detention - and lobbying for more criminalization, no doubt - are especially repulsive. I hope Benson escapes their grasp.

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Benson warned on private detention center

Published: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 10:40 AM CDT

Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun

Allowing a private detention center to operate in Benson is not in the city's best interest said Michelle Brane, the director of the detention and asylum program for the Women's Refugee Commission.

In fact, Brane said private prisons like the proposed 200-bed facility are "horrible for rural communities."

Corplan Corrections, a Texas Company, wants to build a 104,000-square-foot facility to house mostly women and children who are in the country illegally.

The company known for building prisons and detention centers in the U.S., has promised the city big payouts if they sponsor the $27 million bonds needed to pay for the prison construction.

Representatives of Corplan, including Toby Michael and James Parkey, have told city officials and council members that the bond is paid for through federal funding.

Corplan Corrections has already selected a 25-acre parcel that would hold the facility, that they are calling a "Family Residential Center of the Southwest," near Benson Municipal Airport.

However, Brane said the promise of federal funding is not a true statement.

"I have spoken to the Department of Homeland Security, and the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement because if Corplan were to get funding, it would be from them," she said. "At this point there are not any (request for proposals); there have been no discussions with the federal government. Nothing is a sure thing and in fact I would say highly doubtful."

City Manager Glenn Nichols said city staff has moved forward with investigating whether this would be a good economic move for the city, and it will be discussed by the City Council during the May 10 regular meeting.

Nichols said the biggest concern remains accountability.

"We have seen nothing in writing from the Department of Corrections that this would definitely be funded," he said.

The second concern is the city's liability if the bond were to go into default. Corplan Corrections says there is no liability on the city's part, but Nichols said they are not completely sure.

Nonetheless, the direction the city will take will depend on how the council votes on May 10. Nichols said the council will be presented the information, discuss it and vote to either move forward with the process or stop it.

Corplan Corrections has painted a picture of great economic promise if Benson moves ahead with the project.

In closed-door meetings with council members, Corplan has promised a federally funded facility that would house 500 women and children in the country illegally and would create up to 150 jobs.

The city has also been told they would get an increased revenue stream of $218,000 a year.

Similar facilities have been proposed in New Mexico and Texas, and one became a failure in Hardin, Mont., where the city signed off on $27 million in bonds in 2007 for a 200-bed facility.

The facility was constructed, but to this day sits empty with no federal grant funding or per diem fees as promised by Corplan Corrections.

Kim Hammond, mayor of Hardin, has warned cities like Benson to tread lightly when considering the proposals brought forth by private companies like Corplan.

Prison: Globe's bright hope for their children's future.

I just feel profoundly sad now every time I read an article like this...what about the imprint that economic dependence on crime and punishment leaves on the soul of a community? How is that a blessing for future generations? 

If you build it, they will come...

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Globe council supports prison

Posted: Wednesday, Apr 21st, 2010

www.silverbelt.com

BY: Andrea Marcanti/Staff Writer

GLOBE — After two hours of debate and discussion, Globe City Council voted in support of the private prison proposal introduced by the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation at the April 12 meeting.

What was initially presented to the council as an “out of city limits” correctional facility was later discovered to be inside the city’s annexed land on Globe’s northeast corridor. “We thought that the entire track was outside of city limits,” said James Parkey of Corpplan Corrections. “But after looking at it further we found it was in the limits, which puts the City of Globe in control of this proposal.”

Parkey along with Mike Moore from Emerald Correctional Management were on hand to answer questions about the project. Together with EDC Director Melissa Woodall, the group stressed the possible 40 to 60 million dollar economic footprint the prison could have on the area, the 300 plus jobs it could create, and of course their May 9 deadline to get proposals into the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Woodall explained at last week’s meeting that the state of Arizona offered a proposal to construct private correction facilities to house 5,000 beds.

The construction of these prisons would allow the state to transport inmates back to Arizona that are currently doing time out of state. “The state is looking to move the dollar back to Arizona where the citizens can benefit,” said Moore.

And with time passing and only a few weeks to submit their proposal, Emerald Corrections are looking to get the cities support in order to be placed on the “short list” with the state. “There are several other cities and towns looking to be awarded these beds,” said Moore.

The economic impact a facility of this size will have on the city is massive. “The city would get a monthly revenue check per inmate per month but it would depend on the monthly per diem that the state pays,” said Moore. “It does pay and it’s a sizable number.”

Another possible money making impact discussed lies in the Census money that could be received. “I know the Census money could be up to $1,500 per year per inmate,” said Councilwoman Thea Wilshire. “The fact that the site is already in the city is a pro to me.”

The city also looked at the possible $350 per person per year in state shared revenue, and the possible help with sewer infrastructure to help with the northeast area plan to expand Globe.

Both positive and negatives were discussed by the council and public in attendance. A big question regarding the cities lack of water was asked by Councilman Terence Wheeler. “We have a weak link in this city and that’s water,” said Wheeler. “Water is the most important commodity we have.” At the time of the discussion the EDC could not produce the numbers regarding the water usage and how that would affect the city. However, in an email received Tuesday morning, EDC member Mickie Nye felt it was important to produce these water numbers in relation to both the prison and Job Corps projects. “The northeast area plan is not homes but people, and I think the number is more like 4 thousand people if maximum build out were to occur. That is based on zoning densities. Assuming 150 gallons per day per person for 4000 people consumption would be about 674 acre feet. So taken together and assuming max capacity for both, the two projects would not exhaust the current excess capacity and would leave about 214 acre feet to support future development east of the groundwater divide, including the Job Corps (maybe 50-acre feet) and the large block of Freeport property (which also will need water). For now, there is enough water to go around.”

While other concerns expressed by the public were in regards to the possible psychological and cultural impact of having this type of facility in our city, and will Globe become a “prison town” like Florence.

The city moved forward to vote four to two in favor of supporting the prison proposal.

Arizona: Montana mayor warns locals

Smart city manager in Benson. Listen to that man , people. He doesn't just fall for the hype.

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Montana mayor's warning: Get detention center deal in writing

Published: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 6:16 PM CDT

Thelma Grimes/

San Pedro Valley News-Sun

Kim Hammond, mayor of Hardin, Mont., is warning Benson city officials to proceed with caution on Corplan Corrections' proposal to build a detention center in Benson. Corplan wants the city to build the center with bonds to be retired with federal payments for housing illegal immigrants.

Hammond has first-hand knowledge of what it feels like to be promised economic growth and get excited about job creation only to have a $27-million facility sit empty for three years while the bonds the city sponsored go into default.

"My advice to any town considering something like this would be to get everything in writing first," Hammond said.

Hardin signed off on $27 million in revenue bonds to fund the construction of a 200-bed center that was supposed to house women and children awaiting asylum, deportation or court.

The facility was built in 2007 but remains empty. With nothing in writing, the federal government never agreed to keep illegal immigrants at the facility, and the city has been unable to sign a contract with other agencies to fill it.

Now, Hammond said, the city has won a lawsuit against the state to gain complete control over who can be kept at the prison, but with no money to staff it, it will still sit empty, costing the city more money.

One of the key developers involved in the Hardin project was James Parkey, of Texas-based Corplan Corrections.

Parkey has also approached Benson city officials about building a similar detention center near the Benson Municipal Airport, which is being called a "Family Residential Center of the Southwest."

Corplan Corrections is promising the creation of 150 jobs and a new revenue stream to the city when federal funds come rolling in to pay a per diem for the immigrant families staying at the 104,000-square-foot facility.

To avoid breaking open meeting laws, the detention center developers have held several meetings with three council members at a time.

Six of the council members have met with them, and Vice Mayor Toney King said he was happy he had to work when the meeting was scheduled because he didn't want to hear the sales pitch.

"The bottom line is, before we jump in we need to do more research and talk to others," he said. "We can't just hear there are going to be more jobs and think this is a good idea. We have to really look at who we are dealing with, and not just jump in and say yes. We have to take baby steps here."

Councilwoman Jo Deen Boncquet, along with several other council members, promised they won't jump into anything without doing more research.

But the prospect of more jobs and city revenue has some council members seeing dollar signs. Mayor Mark Fenn said several times in his first public address regarding the issue on March 8, that a detention center would bring jobs to town.

Boncquet said the facility would bring an added $218,000 a year.

"I want to make it clear that I have not made any real decisions on this proposal and will not until all the research has been done," she said. "But the money is not the only consideration with this proposal. I think it is really premature to really make any other comments regarding this proposal until we have all the information."

Councilman David Lambert said there are a lot of pros and cons in a detention center's coming to Benson.

"The developers have made their initial pitch; now we have to decide how to play ball," he said. "Do we bunt, and take our chances at a slow pace, or swing hard and hang on. There are so many loopholes to fall into if we proceeded too fast. At this time, knowledge is key. So it is difficult to imagine a right or wrong way to go."

Lambert said there is no doubt that the major benefit of such a facility is job creation.

"At the current unemployment rates, the economy has no chance of a full recovery. Any job at the present time is better than the alternative. (Gov. Jan Brewer) has stated the state budget issues have no real end in sight. She seems to be putting all of the state's eggs into one basket ...a one-cent sales tax in May. So how long will unemployment insurance last?"

Councilman Al Sacco was less excited about the proposal.

"I am concerned about this group bowing out before the 20 years is even up," he said. "Then, the prison is going to end up becoming a facility that houses hard criminals. I'm all for creating jobs, but what about security?"

Sacco questioned Corplan Corrections' continuous claims that the 25-acre facility is not a detention center or prison, but instead a family holding center for undocumented immigrants.

Sacco said the salesman stated the chain-link fence is only needed to keep others from entering the facility.

The people in the facility, however, will be held against their will.

Sacco, along with King, was more pessimistic about all the good things Corplan Corrections is promising the city.

"To be honest, I am not on board with it, and I was one that voted against the same thing six years ago," King said.

The same group proposing the current family center tried to bring a 500-bed detention center to Benson six years ago. They proposed building it on State Route 80, but they were defeated by strong opposition from residents.

Sacco said with no guarantees, and this being the same company, there are many questions that have to be answered before he would vote for such a high-stakes proposal.

Councilwoman Lori McGoffin said she had a conflict of interest in discussing the project since Corplan Corrections has offered to contract with her employer, the Medicine Shoppe, to provide residents with pharmaceutical supplies.

McGoffin did say that if Corplan Corrections is a legitimate company that can make good on all their offers, it is a prospect worth considering. If they are not, the city needs to disregard the matter entirely and move on.

For Benson to land the proposed facility, the city will have to sponsor $21 million in high-risk revenue bonds.

Since the city cannot legally fund such a venture, they would appoint a board, similar to that formed when the wastewater treatment facility needed to be expanded.

City Manager Glenn Nichols has already offered the council some insight. Each council member was given a packet that included studies on private companies such as Corplan Corrections' building detention centers in small communities.

The studies show small communities rarely benefit in the end, and the private prisons fail to meet federal standards.

http://www.bensonnews-sun.com/articles/2010/03/17/news/news01.txt