COMMUNITY CAN MOVE QUICKLY, SAYS CHARLESTON CITY MANAGER

CHARLESTON -- Charleston residents were talking a lot Wednesday about getting a state prison.

Charleston was selected by the state Joint Committee on Correctional Institutions and Problems as one of four finalists for a $73 million, 1,500-bed maximum-security prison. The prison would provide 365 new jobs and bring a payroll of $9.1 million to the town.

"We need it," said Julia Warren, manager of Charleston Inn. "We need the jobs. Everyone is delighted."

Charleston Inn is near the proposed prison site. She said she is already thinking about expanding the inn. "It's a boon," she said.

Warren said she isn't concerned about a maximum-security prison near her business. "A maximum-security prison is what you really want: The people aren't going to be getting in and getting out," she said.

Charleston has a population of about 5,000. That ranks it as the second-largest city being considered. Trenton is the largest with a population of 6,000, Lewiston is the smallest with 453, and Licking has a population of 1,300.

Charleston is in Southeast Missouri's Mississippi County, Trenton is in Grundy County in north-central Missouri, Lewiston is in Lewis County in northeast Missouri, and Licking is in Texas County in southcentral Missouri.

The committee is looking for a site of at least 85 acres and hopes for a site of 200 acres.

Charleston's site is currently 120 acres, City Manager Dave Brewer said. That size can be adjusted to meet the state's requirements, he said. It is situated near the intersection of Interstate 57 and State Highway 105 at the south end of town.

"If they need the site to be a little wider or a little longer, we have a little leeway," Brewer said.

He said there are some people in the community who have expressed concerns about a prison coming to town. "I don't think any community is going to have 100 percent of the people for anything that you're going to do," he said. "We hope we have a minimum of people who object," he said.

Brewer said he talked to the city manager of Cameron, who assured him there is nothing detrimental about having a maximum-security prison in the area. "Once these people are put in, they're expecting them to stay," Brewer said.

He said the city can provide the site with water and sewers quickly. The water system would have to expanded but the sewer treatment facilities would accommodate the prison. Union Electric has assured him that it is ready to get electric and gas services to the site, Brewer said.

"It's never over until you are finally picked, but everyone is excited," he said.

State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, has been lobbying on Charleston's behalf in Jefferson City. "It looks promising for Charleston," Kinder said. "We just have to redouble the efforts we've been extending out over the last couple of months."

With the committee's choices, three cities were removed from contention: Kennett and Malden, both in the Bootheel, and Chillicothe.

Kennett Mayor Charles Brown said he was not informed of the committee's reasons for overlooking Kennett, "I'm sure whatever they would be, I would disagree with them," he said.

Brown said this was a chance for a large number of jobs to come to Kennett, and his committee put together the perfect game plan for getting the prison.

"Opportunities of this size don't come along that often for us down here," he said. "We thought we had a hell of a bid."

Malden Mayor Cecil Weeks Jr. said Malden simply didn't have the political influence to attract the prison. "We had an excellent proposal," he said.

Weeks said it is not a done deal though. He said he plans to schedule a meeting with Gov. Mel Carnahan before Carnahan makes a final decision and offer a "personal plea on behalf of the city of Malden."

"We've got about a month left before he makes his decision," Weeks said.