Marshall Mitchell: Mitchell City Council to consider a resolution expressing interest in state prison coming to Davison County

Yahoo

02-06-2025

Jun. 1—MITCHELL — In addition to the second reading of an ordinance and considering a motion to adopt term limits for council members and the mayor, and a second reading of an ordinance and considering a motion to adopt rental inspections, the Mitchell City Council, during its regular meeting on June 2, will also consider a resolution to express interest in the construction of a state correctional facility in Davison County.
Local developer and landlord Justin Thiesse believes that stable jobs backed by the state will bring in the kind of income that supports homeownership and fuels local business patronage in Mitchell.
"I believe Mitchell needs the prison. Adding 400 well-paid, state-employed correctional officers—and their families—is exactly the kind of growth we should be welcoming," Thiesse said.
Thiesse says that the millions invested into new housing in Mitchell has not been backed up with quality jobs that justify those developments. State correctional officers are scrutinized with background checks by the state and have gun licenses, which is just the type of person locals want living down the street, according to Thiesse.
A concern among residents about prisoners near Mitchell may mean locals lose out on the benefits that the prison workforce could bring to the local economy, according to Thiesse.
"Everyone says they want more restaurants, shopping, and activities for our kids — well, this is how it starts — by saying yes to jobs," Thiesse said.
According to a
Mitchell Area Development Corporation state prison proposal,
a $2.88 million 160 acre potential prison site is located near the Mitchell Regional Landfill, and is owned by James River Farms. The location is outside of Mitchell city limits in Davison County.
In April, the city of Mitchell approved a $3.48 million 10-year purchase agreement
for a different 160 acre plat owned by James River Farms to increase the capacity of the landfill.
A new state penitentiary has been a matter of discussion across the state for quite some time, with opposition for a previous Lincoln County site drawing negative feedback from locals and resulted in a lack of support in the state legislature, which led to the prison task force looking for a new site.
The council will also consider a change order for the $39.2 million South Wastewater Treatment Facility, with $31.32 million budgeted to John T. Jones Construction. The change order is an increase of $366,000 for piping, connections, excavation, and concrete projects, among other items.
The council will also consider a change order for the jetty project at Lake Mitchell, an increase of $31,094 to bring the total new contract amount to $2.72 million.
And the council will consider paying estimates for various construction projects in the amount of $2 million.
The City Council will also sit as the Board of Adjustment for a variance permit for LifeQuest's mini home village in the 1000 block of East Eighth Avenue. The variance calls for a front yard set back of 10 feet instead of 25 feet, rear yard set back of 20 feet instead of 25 feet and side yard setback of three feet instead of five feet.
The council will also consider two types of liquor licenses applications for Adamo's Kitchen at 223 N. Main St. One license is for a retail malt beverage and the other for a retail wine and cider license, the latter of which allows for the consumption and sales of wine outside of establishments on the sidewalk as long as food sale income makes up at least half of total sales. Video lottery is not included.
The wine on sidewalks ordinance was introduced in 2014. At this time, there are 28 total retail wine and cider licenses active in Mitchell, according to the Mitchell Finance Office.
A full agenda can be read on the
city's website.
The council meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 2 at 612 N. Main St.