PERRYVILLE: MEETING WILL BE HELD TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE PRISON

PERRYVILLE -- Perryville city officials will discuss the area's potential for a proposed women's maximum/medium correctional facility during a special town meeting to be held Thursday.

"The state is seeking proposals for a site within a 75-mile radius of downtown St. Louis," said Perryville Mayor Robert Miget. "The new facility, which would house from 300 to 500 inmates, would create 200 to 250 new jobs in the community."

Thursday's meeting will be held at the Perryville Community Center.

"We're hoping for a big turnout," said Miget. "We want to hear from people on both sides of the issue. We want input to see if the community is receptive to such a facility."

Perryville is just one of several communities that fall within the mileage perimeter.

"Public and city support will be an important factor in the state's site decision," said Miget. "The city needs the support of the people, county officials and others before making any determinations concerning a proposal."

The mayor said the proposal had been turned over to the Perryville City Board of Alderman's Industrial Committee.

The Perry County Industrial Development Authority and Perry County Commission have voiced their support to any plan we may come up with, said the mayor.

Miget said the Industrial Committee, headed by Bill Bergman, had prepared several possible sites that would fall within the 75-mile radius area.

"We would want it close enough to the city that we could annex it," said Miget.

The state is seeking a minimum site of 120 acres free to the state for the new prison, including 40 acres for construction and 60 to 70 acres for the security perimeter, and that utilities be constructed to the site.

Other state criteria, according to Miget, is that the site be within 15 minutes of fire protection and have access to a 24-hour medical center offering medical and psychiatric service. The site must also be within close proximity of hotels and motels that can offer from 50 to 75 rooms to serve visitors.

"Surprisingly most of the people I've talked with support the idea," said Miget. "Many say they would not support a minimum security prison, but will go along with a medium/maximum facility."

Miget said the state's information did not address the pay scale of jobs that will be created.

"We'd probably be looking at a variety of jobs, including security jobs, guards, housekeeping and maintenance," said Miget.

The deadline for the proposal to the state is Oct. 15.