State cuts swipe at Camp Pharsalia again
PHARSALIA – The New York State Department of Correctional Services began implementing an $8.7 million savings plan this week that could close one of Camp Pharsalia’s housing units.
This action is part of a larger state move called for by Governor David Paterson to reduce housing in 15 prisons in order to reduce spending.
The department announced in January that Camp Pharsalia, along with three other minimum and medium security facilities, were to close at the start of 2009. That decision was renegotiated, however.
Originally, Camp Pharsalia had four dorms. One was closed four years ago, and now the state is again reducing the number of beds at the facility.
Union Steward Paul Lashway said that currently the camp is 10 officers shy of a full staff and retiring personnel were not being replaced.
Lashway said the state planned to transfer out the 56 inmates currently inhabiting the targeted dorm, or release them over time.
“Basically they’ll be removed from the facility through attrition which would take roughly three or four months,” he said.
Lashway said the union was currently petitioning the state to allow staff to consolidate the inmates into the two remaining dorms in lieu of lowering the camp’s head count.
Lashway said the plan would still allow the six extra officers in the closing dorm to fill the labor gap and eliminate overtime costs. He also said the move would keep the population high enough to maintain community-oriented programs.
“If we lose this part of the population, then we won’t be able to cover our community participation, which we have been doing for years and years,” said Lashway.
The camp has work crews at several area locations, including Roger’s Conservation Center in Sherburne, New York State Parks, the New York State Veterans Home, local churches and the SPCA.
“Without our participation in the community, the community is going to have to find another way to get the labor done and that will cost money,” said Lashway.
Pharsalia inmates do roughly 78,000 hours of community service and maintenance work for state government and local organizations. That translates into $940,000 worth of work a year, according to Commerce Chenango statistics.
According to figures presented by Commerce Chenango in the spring, they estimated that the county’s economy would take a hit of over $13 million if Camp Pharsalia were to eventually close.
This action is part of a larger state move called for by Governor David Paterson to reduce housing in 15 prisons in order to reduce spending.
The department announced in January that Camp Pharsalia, along with three other minimum and medium security facilities, were to close at the start of 2009. That decision was renegotiated, however.
Originally, Camp Pharsalia had four dorms. One was closed four years ago, and now the state is again reducing the number of beds at the facility.
Union Steward Paul Lashway said that currently the camp is 10 officers shy of a full staff and retiring personnel were not being replaced.
Lashway said the state planned to transfer out the 56 inmates currently inhabiting the targeted dorm, or release them over time.
“Basically they’ll be removed from the facility through attrition which would take roughly three or four months,” he said.
Lashway said the union was currently petitioning the state to allow staff to consolidate the inmates into the two remaining dorms in lieu of lowering the camp’s head count.
Lashway said the plan would still allow the six extra officers in the closing dorm to fill the labor gap and eliminate overtime costs. He also said the move would keep the population high enough to maintain community-oriented programs.
“If we lose this part of the population, then we won’t be able to cover our community participation, which we have been doing for years and years,” said Lashway.
The camp has work crews at several area locations, including Roger’s Conservation Center in Sherburne, New York State Parks, the New York State Veterans Home, local churches and the SPCA.
“Without our participation in the community, the community is going to have to find another way to get the labor done and that will cost money,” said Lashway.
Pharsalia inmates do roughly 78,000 hours of community service and maintenance work for state government and local organizations. That translates into $940,000 worth of work a year, according to Commerce Chenango statistics.
According to figures presented by Commerce Chenango in the spring, they estimated that the county’s economy would take a hit of over $13 million if Camp Pharsalia were to eventually close.
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