SEVEN CITIES IN RACE FOR PRISON

When Ruby Youngquist of Malden cites her reason for wanting the newest Missouri prison in her community, she could be speaking for all of those who are interested.

"We need jobs," said Youngquist, executive director of Malden's Chamber of Commerce. "We need jobs desperately here. It's just a fact of life."

Three Southeast Missouri communities -- Malden, Kennett and Charleston -- were among the seven still in the running for a $73 million maximum-security prison, which will provide 400 jobs and a $9.1 million in payroll.

The other Missouri communities are Chillicothe, Lewistown, Licking and Trenton, said state Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence and co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Correctional Institutions and Problems.

All seven communities were rated "excellent" by the state and its consultants as prospects to host the prison, Staples said.

Industrial development leaders for the communities will submit 30-minute proposals next Tuesday at the Senate lounge in Jefferson City.

"I want these seven communities to put their best foot forward and tell us why they should be selected," Staples said.

The committee will narrow the seven sites to two top choices soon after Tuesday's hearings, Staples said. The committee will also make field trips to the top finishers.

All seven communities have offered land for prisons at no cost to the state, Staples said.

"We will want to hear from then about other needs -- water supplies, sewers, hospitals, schools, details about their communities in general and what is the support to have a 1,500-bed maximum-security prison," Staples said.

Gov. Mel Carnahan's chief of staff, Brad Ketcher, said Carnahan will pick the new site after the committee recommends two top sites. Ketcher said that while the governor could deviate from those communities and pick another, he will certainly give the committee's recommendations a lot of weight.

Ketcher said he expects a site to be picked sometime in July.

Meanwhile, all the communities involved will try for the economic prize.

Barbara Crayne, secretary for the Department of Economic of Industrial Development said Malden has an excellent land layout and high unemployment.

Kennett Mayor Charles Brown is optimistic that his town will be selected for the new prison.

"We look at it as a big economic development for the community," Brown said. "We think they're going to look at us and want to come here."

State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, said Charleston could also use a prison. Charleston is part of the 27th Senate District, which Kinder represents.

"Obviously Charleston is an economically troubled community that could use any boost it could get," Kinder said. "When somebody comes into your community and spend tens of millions of dollars and hire a lot of your citizens, I don't think you can just ignore that."

Construction of the prison, which will house about 1,500 inmates, could get under way in 1998, with completion expected by 2000.

Carnahan, in his recent State of the State address, announced an ambitious construction campaign to spend $146 million on two new prisons in the state. The state wants a site of no less than 85 acres of land, with the desired amount in the 200-acre range.

The Associated Press contributed some information to this story.