Latest news with #KellieWasko
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Online forum brings key voices to prison relocation discussion
Jun. 19—MITCHELL — Just one night after an in-person forum at Mitchell Technical Institute, residents and panelists reconvened online Wednesday evening for a virtual continuation of the state's prison relocation discussions. The format allowed for deeper exploration of operational and planning issues — and brought in voices absent from Tuesday's event, including Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko and Yankton Thrive CEO Nancy Wenande. Moderated by former Davison County auditor Susan Kiepke, the online session was structured as a Q and A, with the public submitting questions in advance and through the forum chat. Though the format did not allow for live public comment or rebuttal, it delivered key clarifications and expanded on the state's vision for a modern correctional facility. While Mitchell has become a frontrunner in the discussion, its inclusion represents a shift in strategy from earlier state planning. Originally, the state's search for a replacement prison was focused within 20 miles of Sioux Falls, aligning with a 2021 study conducted by DLR Group, an architectural and engineering firm that specializes in justice facility design. That study recommended a 160-acre site near Sioux Falls based on infrastructure, staffing, and logistical considerations. A more recent consultant report continued to prioritize the Sioux Falls area, largely due to workforce access. However, after the legislature failed to approve construction during the last session, Governor Larry Rhoden formed the Prison Reset Task Force to reevaluate options. The task force was tasked with considering all possible locations statewide. Twelve communities submitted proposals, including Mitchell, Aberdeen, Huron, Grant County and a smaller proposal from Yankton. A consultant narrowed the list to five sites based on multiple factors (though no single factor was decisive), and the committee ultimately eliminated Aberdeen, Huron and Grant County. Mitchell and Worthing are now the two remaining sites being analyzed for feasibility of housing a new prison with capacities of 800, 1,200, or 1,500 beds. Final site assessments will be informed by architectural and engineering reports expected at the next committee meeting on July 8. Wenande, though noting Yankton is not a finalist, said her community might still consider hosting a smaller facility and praised Mitchell's strategic location. "Mitchell may have an easier ability to recruit workforce because of their proximity to the interstate between Sioux Falls and Mitchell compared to Yankton," she said. Addressing a common concern voiced at the in-person Mitchell forum, Rep. Jeff Bathke (R-Mitchell), Davison County's Planning and Zoning Administrator, explained that state-owned property is not subject to local zoning laws. That means a rezoning process will not be required if the site near Mitchell is selected. Wasko addressed lingering public concerns with detailed information about the proposed correctional facility's purpose, design and staffing. A primary misconception, she noted, is that the facility would house only maximum-security inmates. "This will include all custody levels — minimum, restricted minimum, medium, and close custody," Wasko said. Most inmates will fall into the medium-security category, with some minimum-custody offenders working on prison grounds. It will not be a work-release facility. Staffing was another focal point. Wasko reported that uniformed staff vacancy rates have dropped significantly — from 35% to just 6 — 8% in the last 18 months — a sign, she said, of greater workforce stability. "We would not open an institution unless we had adequate staffing to open that institution," she emphasized. Wasko also addressed a key community concern: inmate re-entry. "No one walks out of prison into the host community unmonitored," she said, explaining that offenders leave in state vehicles, are picked up by family, or are transported to re-entry programs that begin 90 to 180 days before release. Design features were another major topic, especially regarding rural integration. Wasko described significant security and lighting advancements, including 300- to 600-foot setbacks from fences, perimeter detection systems and LED directional lighting designed to minimize light pollution. She added that noise would be minimal. "Very rarely will you ever hear any kind of intercom announcements," Wasko said. As for potential displacement of current corrections staff, Wasko reiterated her commitment to protecting jobs. "I will do everything in my power not to lose employees or lay any employees off," she said. Wenande shared her community's experience hosting a federal prison camp for over three decades. Located in the heart of Yankton, across from a school and football field, the facility operates with minimal disruption. "There was public concern in the 1980s, but now it's part of the community fabric," she said, emphasizing that no one has ever declined to move to or invest in Yankton due to the prison's presence. The aging state penitentiary in Sioux Falls, known as "The Hill," was built in 1881, before South Dakota achieved statehood. Ryan Brunner, a senior policy advisor and director of legislative relations in the governor's office, described it as "no longer safe for staff, the community, or inmates." Wasko added that remodeling the current facility is prohibitively expensive and dangerous. "The costs can be tripled or quadrupled when building inside an existing secure perimeter," she said. Operational limitations include outdated architecture, lack of rehabilitation space, and no room for vocational or educational programming. The current prison model — designed in an era of inmate lockdowns and quarry work — is misaligned with today's focus on treatment and re-entry, Wasko explained. Expanding the nearby Jameson Annex would also fall short: an additional story would add just 192 beds, and retrofitting its mechanical systems would be costly. Relocating 800 inmates during construction would be logistically difficult and cost $10 — 20 million in temporary housing alone. With current facilities at 133% capacity, the state lacks space to shuffle inmates for such a project. The next phase in the site selection process will occur on July 8, when architects and engineers present detailed site assessments. The Prison Reset Task Force will use that information to make further recommendations. As Wasko concluded the forum, she offered a final reflection on the prison's potential role in any host community: "Prisons can be good neighbors."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Prison drug smuggling ring busted, state corrections officials say
A photo taken at 3 a.m. on March 29, 2024, shows interior lights in the South Dakota State Penitentiary's East Hall. The lights stayed on after a night of unrest. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) Following a protest in response to a string of violence and deaths at state prisons and amid continuing talks about potential prison construction, South Dakota officials say they've busted a ring of drug smuggling in prison facilities and imposed a non-contact visit policy. No drug charges have been filed, according to a Thursday news release from the state Department of Corrections, which said an investigation is ongoing involving its Inspector General's Office, the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. postmaster general. 'If the results of the investigation warrant prosecution, criminal charges will be sought,' the news release said. 'We will continue to counter every attempt to introduce dangerous contraband into our facilities.' 10 injured in prison violence days after protests over security and inmate treatment The news release said three methods of drug delivery into prisons were identified and stopped: Through the use of counterfeit packages imitating well-known manufacturers with drugs sent in through the packages. Through false use of the privileged mail system, such as counterfeit legal mail. And through the actions of visitors, including family members and friends, bringing drugs into the prison during visitation. The press release went on to say that three inmate deaths — one in February and two this month — were linked to drug overdoses on the penitentiary campus in Sioux Falls. The Department of Corrections has also imposed non-contact visits for family and friends of inmates 'in certain facilities,' the press release said. It also said 'non-contact visits may be expanded to other prison facilities' and 'additional policy changes are also under review.' 'We wanted to ensure that the public is aware of the work that has been done in these cases. We are taking action to keep staff and inmates safe,' said a quote in the news release from Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko. The drug investigation is occurring against the backdrop of activism against prison conditions and inmate treatment, including a protest Friday by about 50 people. Meanwhile, the state's Project Prison Reset task force is considering plans to construct new prison facilities. The group's next meeting is Tuesday in Pierre. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Prison drug smuggling ring busted, state corrections officials say
A photo taken at 3 a.m. on March 29, 2024, shows interior lights in the South Dakota State Penitentiary's East Hall. The lights stayed on after a night of unrest. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) Following a protest in response to a string of violence and deaths at state prisons and amid continuing talks about potential prison construction, South Dakota officials say they've busted a ring of drug smuggling in prison facilities and imposed a non-contact visit policy. No drug charges have been filed, according to a Thursday news release from the state Department of Corrections, which said an investigation is ongoing involving its Inspector General's Office, the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. postmaster general. 'If the results of the investigation warrant prosecution, criminal charges will be sought,' the news release said. 'We will continue to counter every attempt to introduce dangerous contraband into our facilities.' 10 injured in prison violence days after protests over security and inmate treatment The news release said three methods of drug delivery into prisons were identified and stopped: Through the use of counterfeit packages imitating well-known manufacturers with drugs sent in through the packages. Through false use of the privileged mail system, such as counterfeit legal mail. And through the actions of visitors, including family members and friends, bringing drugs into the prison during visitation. The press release went on to say that three inmate deaths — one in February and two this month — were linked to drug overdoses on the penitentiary campus in Sioux Falls. The Department of Corrections has also imposed non-contact visits for family and friends of inmates 'in certain facilities,' the press release said. It also said 'non-contact visits may be expanded to other prison facilities' and 'additional policy changes are also under review.' 'We wanted to ensure that the public is aware of the work that has been done in these cases. We are taking action to keep staff and inmates safe,' said a quote in the news release from Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko. The drug investigation is occurring against the backdrop of activism against prison conditions and inmate treatment, including a protest Friday by about 50 people. Meanwhile, the state's Project Prison Reset task force is considering plans to construct new prison facilities. The group's next meeting is Tuesday in Pierre. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
SD penitentiary on lockdown as HB 1025 moves to JCA
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota State Penitentiary and nearby Jameson Annex are on lockdown. The state Department of Corrections said in a news release that the lockdown at Sioux Falls prison facilities began at 7:30 Tuesday morning. While the DOC hasn't released the reason behind the lockdown, the department says it 'is not in response to a disturbance or assault.' The DOC declined an interview request from KELOLAND News Tuesday. Report: New Noem DHS campaign budgeted for $200 million The DOC's last publicly-announced lockdown at Sioux Falls prison facilities began on Sept.15 and continued until Oct. 2. A Sept. 19 release from the DOC said the lockdown was done as 'a proactive security measure to implement a full campus search and seizure for dangerous contraband.' That initial release said 'handmade weapons' and electronics were discovered. Later in October, the DOC told a government operations and audit committee of the state legislature about contraband found during the Sioux Falls lockdown. Officers allegedly discovered sharp items including tweezers, a homemade tattoo gun and tools. 'If you have three screwdrivers that are etched, and they're bundled together, and they're concealed somewhere, they're contraband,' Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko said Oct. 21. 'If they are not in their designated space in the institution where they're inventory, then they are contraband.' The House Committee on Appropriations referred House Bill 1025, which would appropriate money to build a new men's prison in Lincoln County, to the Joint Committee on Appropriations without recommendation on Tuesday in Pierre. The vote saw eight lawmakers vote in favor, while one was excused. HB 1025 is set to appear before the Joint Committee on Appropriations on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SD House panel lukewarm on bill to finalize new men's prison funding
South Dakota Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko, right, and Finance Director Brittni Skipper answer questions from lawmakers about a proposed men's prison on Feb. 12, 2025, in Pierre. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) PIERRE — A panel of lawmakers dealt a symbolic blow to the push for a new men's prison Wednesday morning, signaling a possible rough road for what's expected to be the most expensive taxpayer-funded building project in South Dakota history. The House State Affairs Committee didn't say no after a hearing at the state Capitol, but it didn't say yes, either. Gov. Larry Rhoden's office and the state Department of Corrections (DOC) wanted the committee to send a bill permitting them to spend $763 million of construction funding to the state House's budget-setting panel with a 'do pass' recommendation. Last year, lawmakers gave the DOC authority to spend $62 million to prepare the site. The guaranteed maximum price for the facility is $825 million. Lawmakers dumped most of the money for the prison into an interest-bearing fund last year, before the DOC's November announcement of the final price tag. Instead of blessing House Bill 1025 – the bill to top off the prison fund and unlock it for use – committee members voted 12-1 to send it to the House Appropriations Committee with no recommendation at all. Men's prison price comes in at $825 million, sparking questions from lawmakers, public Several members said they want that budget panel to dig into cost to run the facility, and to build out the roadways necessary to transform the corn field selected as its site into a complex for 1,500 inmates and hundreds of staff. Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said the prison would help the state manage its correctional needs for 100 years. Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, said that language underscores the importance of caution. 'For a hundred-year project, we had really better know what we're doing before we rubber-stamp this,' Lems said. Her constituency includes a host of the project's detractors. The selected site is about 14 miles south of Sioux Falls, between Harrisburg and Canton. Many of its Lincoln County neighbors banded together in a lawsuit, hoping to force the state to request a zoning permit from county officials before building on the 360 acres of farm ground. The state was the victor in that case at the circuit court level; the opponents are appealing to the state Supreme Court. The opposition testimony from those neighbors pointed out that the $825 million 'guaranteed maximum price' does not include change orders, post-construction operational costs, or the cost to pave the gravel roads surrounding the property. That's true, according to Wasko and Ryan Brunner, a senior adviser with Gov. Rhoden's office. But they also said estimates for those numbers are either done or in the works. The state has a contingency fund of $24 million for change orders. Change orders that add work could conceivably come, Wasko conceded, but the hope with what she described as a well-conceived site plan is that 'we get it right the first time.' The annual cost to run the 1,500-bed facility would be $21.6 million more each year than it takes to fund the 144-year-old, 800-bed state penitentiary right now, she said. The new prison would replace the Sioux Falls penitentiary, and the fate of that older facility has not been determined. Brunner pointed to an ongoing study by the state Department of Transportation that aims to evaluate traffic flows and options for road construction. The state has yet to produce a cost estimate for the three options outlined on its traffic study website. Bill to change name of Department of Corrections advances He said the department expects to put money aside for the work in 2027, and that it would involve 'state and federal highway funds.' He also urged the committee to think about another number: $40 million. That, he said, is the upper limit of the higher price the state would pay by way of inflation if it waits another year to move forward. Project opponents suggested alternatives: Using the DOC's 68-acre West Farm site near Sioux Falls, expanding its existing Jameson Annex in Sioux Falls or purchasing the shuttered former Citibank building just north of the penitentiary to meet the need for prison beds. There are bills circulating in Pierre meant to stop the DOC from spending any more money on the men's prison, and to force a reevaluation of the project site. Wasko addressed some of the ideas for alternative sites, including a reminder that there are juvenile detainees at the West Farm facility the DOC doesn't have another place for at the moment. There were 28 juveniles at West Farm as of Wednesday, DOC spokesman Michael Winder told South Dakota Searchlight after the hearing. The farm has a 68-bed capacity across two separate programs, known as Falls Academy and Brighter Transition. Brunner urged lawmakers to think about another figure, specifically a dollar amount, when considering alternatives. The state's already spent money on the site in Lincoln County. 'You start moving those around and redesigning, then you're no longer utilizing the $62 million we're already spending on the current site,' Brunner said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Three prison staff members described the current penitentiary as outdated and dangerous. One spoke of the 'deafening' sound drummed up when hundreds of inmates are released for meals because of the building's multi-tiered, linear layout. On the higher tiers, if somebody has to make a call for help from the lower tiers, 'how's anybody going to hear you down there?' said Nick Rodriguez, a 10-year correctional officer. 'Yes, we have radios, but there are times we've had communications issues with those,' he said. Shortly after the House State Affairs vote, Gov. Rhoden's office sent a press release pointing out that the state's law enforcement organizations support the prison project. The statement also addressed security. 'The construction of a new prison is one way that we can improve public safety,' the governor wrote. 'The condition of our current facility is unacceptable.' The new prison would have cell blocks arranged in a circular fashion to allow for easier monitoring of offenders and more orderly movement from one place to the other. 'Clearly we need a new prison,' said Sioux Falls Republican Rep. Greg Jamison, who tried unsuccessfully to convince the committee to recommend passage of HB 1025. 'The location and the money are the issue. But it's been well thought out, and it's been well planned.' But Rep. Marty Overweg, R-New Holland, said it makes more sense to let House appropriators dig into the figures. There's been plenty of talk about the need for a prison in recent years, he said, but 'what we haven't talked a lot about is how we're going to pay to run it,' Overweg said. His move to send it along to the budget panel with a neutral vote was opposed only by Rep. Spencer Gosch, R-Glenham. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
