TAMMS SUPERMAX PRISON: `SUPER' BOOST FOR AREA ECONOMY

TAMMS, Ill. -- Communities at one time were opposed to putting prisons nearby. But not any more.

Now, job-hungry communities everywhere hope to land prisons because they promise expanded employment and a bonanza of state spending on everything from sewage treatment to power and water.

In the majority of Illinois communities, fear of criminals has taken a back seat to enthusiasm over the jobs and improved economy prisons can usher in.

Anytime there is talk of a new prison, 25 to 30 communities submit bids for consideration. They range from the tiniest of villages to heavily populated metropolitan areas.

In past years, suburbs wanted no part of prisons. But during a recent announcement of two new prisons in Illinois, even the heavily populated Chicago Heights suburb expressed an interest ... until its citizens rose up and said no.

But that was an isolated incident.

So intense is the competition for new prisons that in 1993, when Illinois advertised for bids for a super maximum-security prison, the state was flooded with calls. Asked which Illinois communities were likely to submit bids by a September deadline, the answer of corrections officials was, "It would be easier to tell you which ones aren't."

Tamms, a town of 748 people, was among 31 communities that wanted the prison. With its 246-acre site a half-mile northwest of town between Route 127 and nearby high bluffs, was selected for the $73 million complex that includes the super maximum-security prison and a minimum security work camp.

That was in October 1993.

Four years and four months later, a large delegation from Springfield, including Gov. Jim Edgar, Illinois Department of Corrections director Odie Washington and corrections chief deputy director Larry Mizell, stood in front of the new Tamms Correctional Center to dedicate a complex that will house 500 of the state's most violent inmates.

"This is a proud day for the more than 15,000 dedicated employees of the IDOC," said Washington. "Tamms' mission is to enhance the safety of staff and inmates at other prisons and to improve the security and operations of those facilities."

Edgar clipped the ribbon to officially open the 23-acre prison compound that is protected by double rows of 12-foot-high cyclone fencing topped with razor ribbon.

"This is also a great day for Tamms and Southern Illinois, economically," said Edgar. "This complex will employ a total of 445 people, including 312 security staff.

The center includes a $17 million payroll and a total budget of $23.9 million.

About 75 percent of employees at Tamms are from the lower five counties of the state.

"This was part of the agreement we struck," said Jerry Reppert, president the Union County Development Corp., which formed a Southern Illinois Prison Committee that worked tirelessly to help secure the prison.

"About 25 percent of the Tamms Correctional Center employees are transfers," said Reppert. "The remaining 75 percent (over 300) are new-hires, and the majority of the new-hires are from Alexander, Pulaski, Union, Johnson and Massac counties."

Shawnee Community College, which serves the same counties, has also shared in the economics of the prison. The college near Ullin has provided training programs to help the labor force meet training needs of the correctional center and has become a model for other Illinois colleges serving areas that contain correctional facilities.

The prison already has helped Southern Illinois.

A few new small business have cropped up in Tamms and surrounding areas, and businesses throughout Southern Illinois have reported increased activity and sales.

The first prisoners are expected to arrive early next month. "We'll phase in prisoners here," said George Welborn, the warden. "Right now we're still training workers here. After the first group comes in, we should receive 20 to 30 new prisons a week."

Aug. 3, 1993 - Illinois announces new supermax prison plans. Accepting applications.

Sept. 1993 - 30 applications for new site. Visits to sites start.

Oct. 1993 - Tamms selected from five finalists for site of new supermax prison.

June 1994 - Groundbreaking for prison and work camp.

June 1995 - 200-bed work camp opens. Work under way on supermax.

Feb. 3, 1998 - Supermax formally dedicated by Gov. Jim Edgar and Illinois Dept. of Corrections.

March 9, 1998 - First supermax prisoners expected.

Unknown - Next execution in Illinois will be first execution at supermax.

TAMMS CORRECTIONAL CENTER

THE FACILITY:

* 500-bed supermax prison including 48, 10-cell blocks to house 480 prisoners and one, 20-cell block for prisoners who are being processed for transfer to other prisons

* 200-bed minimum security work camp

* Execution chamber with special rooms for family, friends and attorney

* Courtroom with video conferencing equipment

* Library

* Health and mental health facilities

* 12-foot high, double rows of high cyclone fencing, topped with razor ribbon

* Remote control center to operate cell locks with cameras and motion detectors

THE COSTS

* $73 million including the $7.3 million work camp

* $17 million a year in payroll

* $23.7 million overall budget

* $35,000 per year per inmate to operate facility

THE STAFF

* Warden George Welborn with more than 20 years experience with Illinois Department of Corrections

* 445 employees including 312 security staff