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GUNNISON — As the debate about the future of the Utah State Prison in Draper continues, the Department of Corrections broke ground Monday to expand the prison in Sanpete County.
Roughly 1,600 inmates call the Central Utah Correctional Facility home — and with the net gain of 144 prisoners every year in the system, prison officials say something has to be done now.
"We can't wait. We still have to have the space, and this particular facility will allow us to do that," said Rollin Cook, executive director of the state Department of Corrections.
The expansion will create an additional prison building in Gunnison, adding 192 more beds and providing more versatility for the future needs of the prison.
"It would be available for minimum, medium and even some maximum (security), depending on what we need," Cook said. "What our goal is, is to make sure we can use it for different types of inmates and different situations."
While a proposal to move the prison in Draper is stirring controversy among potential relocation sites, community leaders in Gunnison are thrilled to see their prison expand. The $30 million project will give local subcontractors more work and, in the long term, provide 60 new jobs to help boost the local economy.
It is coming at a great time for our county. I think that the millions of dollars it is going to bring is in ... payroll, and the indirect will really benefit us.
–Claudia Jarrett, Sanpete County commissioner
"It is coming at a great time for our county. I think that the millions of dollars it is going to bring is in ... payroll, and the indirect will really benefit us," said Sanpete County commissioner Claudia Jarrett.
While corrections officials say this rural county couldn't support the state's entire prison population, many in Sanpete County see the Gunnison prison as a great asset to the community.
"We don't feel it is an eyesore," said Steve Frischknecht, also a county commissioner. "We think it is a place where people can change their lives and residents of Sanpete County can help them make those changes."
The prison expansion project is on an aggressive building schedule and should be finished in less than 18 months, in August 2016.
