FREDERICKTOWN STILL IN RUNNING FOR WOMEN'S PRISON

FREDERICKTOWN -- Five eastern Missouri communities remain in the running for a new women's prison to be built near St. Louis, officials said Tuesday.

"We're one of those communities," said Don S. Maddux, city administrator at Fredericktown. "We are elated here. We feel that such a facility would not only help Fredericktown but would impact other areas throughout Madison, Iron and Bollinger counties."

The Missouri Department of Corrections said Fredericktown, Montgomery City, New Florence, Sullivan and Vandalia were notified last week that they are still in the hunt for a 500-bed prison.

The prison would house medium- and maximum-security inmates, said officials. It would replace Renz Correctional Center near Jefferson City, which would be converted to a minimum-security prison for up to 400 men.

"We're happy to be in the top five, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that we will still be in the running when the joint legislative committee on correctional institutions narrows the list to three," said Maddux.

The facility would be an economic boost, offering employment for more than 200 people and an annual payroll of about $4 million.

"Acquiring this project would be a catalyst for us," said Maddux. "It would provide the momentum to carry us through the 1990s after the loss of a shoe factory here about a year ago."

Madison County had an unemployment rate of more than 18 percent in January, said Maddux.

"But we've been working for economic improvement here throughout the year, and we're down to about 12 percent unemployment," he said. "We manage to attract businesses and small industries, which have added a total of from 150 to 200 workers since March of this year."

He cited ClaRu Deville skilled and residential health care, which employs about 33; American Sampling Co. from Memphis, Tenn., which employs 32, and an expansion by Cap America into a 100,000-square-foot facility, adding 15 employees, as examples. "We also understand that Brown Shoe is planning to reopen some of its facilities here, employing from 40 to 60 people," he said.

"We have another company, which we can't name at this time, that is considering Fredericktown," said Maddux. "If it materializes, it will employ another 30 to 35 people.

"We feel we submitted a concise, complete application for the prison facility," said Maddux. "And we have a fine site for it."

Maddux described the site in the northwest sector of the city: "The site is located on a hill and falls into the prerequisite required for the prison facility. It is surrounded on one side by a mountainous area; another side by the St. Francis River; another side is surrounded by trees; and on the fourth side is a manmade border, a highway.

"The site committee was impressed with the site when it visited here," said Maddux.

Criteria for the applications includes the site and its preparation, the availability of utilities and medical care, utility rates, access to transportation and topography.