Mid-Orange Correctional Facility to close

Immediate impact: Loss of 309 local jobs and $210,000 annual payment to sewer district, By Roger Gavan WARWICK - The question now is: “Where do we go from here?” Last Thursday afternoon, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced that the Mid-Orange Correctional Facility in Warwick was on the list of seven prisons to be shut down to save the state money. The reason given was that 3,800 unused beds statewide will be eliminated, saving taxpayers $72 million in 2011-12 and $112 million in 2012-13. The final closing is expected to take place within 60 days of last week’s announcement. Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton reported that although there were rumors that Orange County might loose one of its prisons, he believed Otisville Correctional was more in play. Sweeton fears the short-term economic consequences of the closure could be severe. “It’s just a guess but probably half the people working there also live in Warwick,” he said. “Even if they are offered jobs at other prisons they may not wish to be uprooted with all that involves like selling their homes and taking their children out of school. And this is not a good real estate or job market.” Village of Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard echoed those sentiments. “We’ve been hearing about the possibility of prison closings, but we didn’t think it would happen here.” Newhard also noted that volunteer inmates have been performing services for the community such as street, road and park cleaning since the prison opened. What the future holds for the site when it finally closes was not immediately clear. “I will be meeting with the governor’s staff,” said Sweeton. “But right now we have no additional information. And the state has a checkered past when it comes to disposing of properties.” The supervisor, however, does believe that the long-term prospect could be positive. The town may be able to request economic development financing from a $50 million fund set up for communities affected by the closures. And the property would be well suited for an industrial park. Sweeton has contacted Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt and state Sen. David Carlucci, reiterating the town’s concerns. “I have spoken with the Governor’s office and none of Mid-Orange’s 320 employees will be laid off,” Rabbitt said in a statement. “All employees will be reassigned to other facilities.” One of the serious problems with closing Mid-Orange is that the facility pays about half of the $420,000 budget of the sewer district it shares with about 540 nearby homes. “I have asked for short-term aid to mitigate the loss of sewer revenue to offset a large increase for the remaining residential users,” said Sweeton. “I also asked for aid to craft a plan for site redevelopment so we can have a 'shovel ready’ commerce park. And I asked that the state treat the town as co-partners in controlling the future of the site so that local control prevails in ensuring good development.” “Long term and with state help,” he said, “we will definitely focus on the positive. This has good potential.”