Davison County Sheriff reverses course, opposes state prison proposal for Mitchell
Davison County Sheriff Steve Harr issued a statement Monday saying he has decided not to support a possible $600 million prison plan that is being considered by the state's Project Prison Reset task force, becoming one of the most prominent Davison County leaders to oppose the plan.
Harr said the change of heart came after the feedback he's gotten from residents in Davison County who are against the prison plan.
"Since Davison County made the cut at the last meeting, it has become quite clear that there are a very large number of residents that are opposed to the prison coming to our county," Harr wrote in a statement. "I have heard very little from anyone that is in favor of it. That is why it was important to get a conversation going. It is unfortunate that it didn't happen earlier, but better now than after a decision has been made.
In an interview with the Mitchell Republic on Monday afternoon, Harr said he made the decision by listening to the constituents of Davison County.
"The majority of the public just doesn't seem to be in favor," Harr said. "They're pretty adamant that they don't want this."
In his letter, Harr said he initially signed a letter of support for the prison because he hoped Mitchell's plan would advance and there would be conversations about the idea.
"It was not done as a statement of "we need a prison in Mitchell." Well, as you know, this was successful, as the conversation all over town is on this topic," he wrote.
Harr, who initially began working for Davison County as a corrections officer in 2000 and was a longtime deputy, has been sheriff since 2021.
"I did not make this decision lightly, as there are people in this county that are supportive of bringing it here. However, the clear majority do not. My job as sheriff is to look out for the citizens of Davison County and I feel that is what is being done by coming to this decision," Harr wrote. "I would like to thank everyone that has reached out or made your concerns known in other ways. Without an open conversation, nothing gets accomplished. To the people that are in favor, I hope you understand how I came to this decision."
Harr was one of 10 individuals or entities in a June 4 press release from the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce listed as formally expressing support for Mitchell's inclusion as a prison site. In addition to MADC and the Chamber itself, the others included the Mitchell City Council, Davison County Commission, Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson, State Rep. Jeff Bathke, Mitchell Area Housing, Inc., Randall Community Water District, Central Electric Cooperative and Mitchell Technical College.
"I can see the plusses and minuses that come with the prison. But when it comes to something of this magnitude, we need to listen to the public that lives here," Harr said in an interview.
Asked about the third-party consultant report that described the Mitchell location as a sub-optimal location because of its site near a major interstate, a rail line and the James River, Harr downplayed the concern and said he's skeptical about how often true prison escapes occur.
"I would like to know about the last escape from the South Dakota State Penitentiary. Movies kind of glamorize that. Inmates sometimes don't return when they're out on work release, but I can't remember the last escape from the prison."
Following the June 3 meeting of the Project Prison Reset task force, Mitchell was named as one of the finalists for the prison location along with a site near Worthing and state land on the grounds of the Mike Durfee Prison in Springfield and at the penitentiary in Sioux Falls. The proposed Mitchell site is 160 acres located south of Interstate 90 near the city's sewer lagoons and landfill. The MADC said last week that the project would generate more than 440 full-time jobs with an annual payroll of more than $36 million.
The task force is working on a short timeline. The state engineer and contractors are expected to present new prison designs that meet the new parameters before the state task force's July 8 meeting. Legislators will convene for a special session at the state Capitol on July 22 to consider approving a plan.
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Thom Tillis: Bolo for YOLO
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