SUNBURY - Northumberland County Commissioner Vinny Clausi believes an ideal site for a new county prison would be next to the State Correctional Institution at Coal Township near the village of Tharptown.
During Wednesday's prison board meeting, Clausi reiterated his support for a new prison, stating the current 137-year-old jail is not only outdated, but is contributing to lawsuits that could cost the county millions of dollars.
He recommended constructing a new prison and also a pre-release center near SCI-Coal Township because the infrastructure is already in place in that area. He said the land, known as Brush Valley, is owned by Aqua Pennsylvania.
That area was considered for a second state prison and, around 2000, for a federal prison, but the plans drew considerable opposition because of the aesthetic value of the forested tract and the water sources located there.
None of the seven prison board members objected to the consideration of a new prison, but most said they believe a long-range plan should be developed first.
Clausi recommended building a 600-cell prison and pre-release center at a cost of approximately $60 million or a 300-cell jail and the pre-release center at a cost of approximately $30 million.
The commissioner said he and President Judge Robert B. Sacavage have met with U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11, to discuss funding sources and other ideas pertaining to a new facility.
District Attorney Tony Rosini believes the process should slow down.
"Spending $60 million is way beyond the debt you want to place on the county; I'm not in favor of building a new prison at this time," he said. "I think we need a 10-year plan."
Rosini also disagreed with Clausi's claim that once a new prison is built, it could become self-sustaining by housing prisoners from out of the county, including undocumented immigrants.
"There's not a prison in this country that is self-sustaining," Rosini said. "It's a pipe dream to think immigrants are going to pay to maintain a new prison."
As to Clausi's contention that lawsuits are being caused by the age and deteriorating conditions of the current prison, Rosini said it instead has do with "employees being accused of not treating inmates properly."
Clausi replied, "Don't play this stupid game and say we don't need a prison. It's time for a new prison to come to Northumberland County."
Plan now
Commissioner Stephen Bridy, prison board chairman, said he's against wasting taxpayers' dollars, but realizes a new prison is needed. "We need to start planning now because the current prison is at the end of its life cycle," he said.
Sacavage, Commissioner Richard Shoch and Warden Roy Johnson agreed a new prison is needed and voiced their support to move forward by developing a plan and forming a committee. But they said the proper channels must be followed and a hasty decision avoided.
Clausi, who claimed it will cost the county "double" if a decision is delayed, was satisfied by the end of the meeting that everyone at least agreed to study the issue.
Sacavage said prison board members can provide input, but the decision to build a new facility rests with the county commissioners.
Last month, Clausi said if a federal judge stepped in and closed the prison, it would cost the county more than $7 million a year to transport inmates to other facilities.
It was less than a year ago that the county settled a federal lawsuit with the Lewisburg Prison Project, a nonprofit inmate advocacy group, on behalf of inmates who complained of inadequate health care and unsafe housing conditions. Last month, a $1.6 million federal lawsuit was filed by eight inmates against administrators and correctional officers claiming inhumane conditions, but also racial discrimination, retaliation and cruel and unusual punishment.