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BELLEFONTE -- With overwhelming community support, the Centre County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the request to investigate possible options for new and improved outdoor recreational facilities for the Centre County Correctional Facility.
The warden of the Centre County Correctional Facility, Glenn Irwin, submitted a request for qualifications to perform an outdoor area feasibility study and analysis for the facility at the board's meeting on Tuesday, as recommended by the Prison Board of Inspectors.
The RFQ is a screening step in the process of establishing a pool of qualified vendors to submit responses to the correctional facility's request for recreational area proposals. The responses from the RFQ will determine the scope of the recreation areas and what associated costs are expected to be.
All in all, the request will assess options for outdoor recreation areas, staffing, safety, pre-construction considerations and a security analysis.
Residents, largely members of Central PA United, a political organization building independent, progressive political power in Central Pennsylvania, traveled from all around the county to give their input and share personal stories supporting the initiative.
"As a survivor of complex trauma, I ended up incarcerated because that’s what ends up happening to a lot of people who survive childhood trauma and other types of trauma in their life. Because there aren't a lot of resources available for people," said Shawna Henry, director of Central PA United.
"I can tell you from experience the stories of the people incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility will break your heart. They are often very traumatized people who need every bit of rehabilitation and therapy they can get," said Henry, adding, "a huge part of my personal treatment is just going outside."
"We have an opportunity to help (prisoners) be treated humanely by being able to have direct sunlight," said Robert Zeigler, of Milheim.
"It does things chemically to you, it makes you happier, more agreeable, more willing to engage with people and more socially adept," said Zeigler, making the case that access to the outdoors would improve the climate of the correctional facility.
Janet Irons, of State College, reminded the commissioners the original plans for the Centre County Correctional Facility included outdoor yards for all of the cell blocks. A plan that was scrapped over being cost prohibitive.
"This is not about whether it is feasible, this is about finding a way to make it happen now and correct a mistake that happened almost 20 years ago," said Irons.
Sue Smith, of College Township, emphasized access to the outdoors would help improve the mental health of incarcerated individuals.
"When you mentioned costs, let me just say that when I see the amounts of money being spent at the Centre County prison for mental health care, sunshine would be much cheaper," said Smith.
Commissioner Amber Concepcion, who supported the initiative said, "I think it’s important to note that while the state of Pennsylvania permits exactly the kind of recreation facilities we do have at our facility. What this RFQ is doing is trying to get some expertise and some analysis to help us see ways that we might be able to improve the spaces we have that goes beyond our thinking that we have internally to the county."
According to numbers provided by Commissioner Mark Higgins, on average between 100 to 125 people return to the community everyday from the correctional facility.
"If you're a local employer, you have to realize that about half of the individuals at this facility will be out in the community in 60 days. So, they are available to work, and if they leave the facility with a job they probably aren’t coming back," said Higgins, who applauded the large number of local employers who give returning citizens employment opportunities.
"I know from living in this community my entire life, this community has incredible compassion, incredible resources, incredible intellect and an incredible will to help. And I think more than anywhere that I’ve been in my life, I think this community has the potential to cultivate a prison system where we can support our staff in supporting our incarcerated and support our incarcerated in being able to get to a better place," said Jonathan Bojan of State College. "This would be a really huge way to show our incarcerated that... we are the kind of community where healing can happen," said Bojan.
Prospective companies will have the opportunity to submit questions to John Franek and Irwin and will be responded to on April 26. All responses are due to Controller Jason Moser on May 10, 2024 by 4 p.m.
In other business the commissioners:
-- Proclaimed April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month in Centre County.
-- Signed the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program application kickoff Community Letter. Traditionally these funds have been used for water and sewer system upgrades in rural parts of the county. There will be a public hearing and workshop regarding the use of these funds on May 9, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the Willowbank Office Building at 420 Holmes Street, Bellefonte in room 146.
-- Approved the Centre County Drug and Alcohol Office to participate as a recognized Entity through the Pennsylvania Overdose Prevention Program. This will allow the office to provide free narcan and drug testing strips.
-- Approved the re-appointment of Deirdre O'Sullivan to the Drug and Alcohol Planning Council from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027.
-- Approved the appointment of Heather Pringle to the MH/ID/EI Advisory Board from April 2, 2024 to April 1, 2027
-- Approved a letter of support to Rothrock Trail Alliance to apply for the DCNR funding to continue to expand the Rothrock trail system beyond Musser Gap.
-- Approval of several miscellaneous routine contracts
-- Approved purchase of a 2024 Ford Transit AWD vehicle in the amount of $120,372 from Rohrer School & Commercial Bus Sales, which will be fully funded by a PennDOT Grant