PASO CLOSES DOOR ON PRISON

PASO ROBLES

In a move likely to ease the minds of hundreds of Paso Roblans, the City
Council Tuesday jettisoned the idea of building a private prison in the city.

The council, spurred by public opposition, directed City Manager Jim App to
send letters to two Bakersfield companies, Maranatha Private Corrections
and Community Correctional, telling them the city is not interested in
their separate proposals for a Paso Robles prison.

Both companies approached the city in August with simultaneous requests for
the council to consider allowing a private prison in the city.

Councilman Lee Swanson moved quickly Tuesday to cancel a planned Nov. 17
hearing, making the motion before any members of the public had an
opportunity to speak.

The council was scheduled to hold a hearing on the private prison idea Nov.
17.

Residents did speak Tuesday, but their remarks consisted largely of
thanking the council members for listening to their concerns.

Swanson's motion passed unanimously without any council discussion.

App asked the council to discuss the issue after an Oct. 19 Maranatha
public meeting drew hundreds of angry residents, and after council members
told him individually that they had heard from an overwhelming number of
residents opposed to the idea.

Maranatha and Community Correctional made their proposals within days of
each other in August, asking the city for permission to allow them to make
bids to the state for funding to build a 1,000-bed prison in Paso Robles.

State money for private prisons was cut from the budget shortly before the
proposals were made, but Maranatha pursued the matter on the expectation
that more funding would be secured. State money was then allocated for
several 500-bed prisons in September.

The council first looked at the two proposals at a meeting in August, days
after they were received by city staff. Lee Cribb, director of operations
for Maranatha, was on hand at the meeting.

After initial public comments, in which nearly all the speakers voiced
their opposition, the council members decided they did not have enough
information to make an informed decision and asked the companies to hold an
informational meeting.

Community Correctional did not contact the city again, but Maranatha
scheduled the Oct. 19 meeting. Hundreds of residents filled the council
chambers and dozens lambasted the company for considering Paso Robles.

In addition, community members have spoken against the prospect at council
meetings in the past three months. Council members said they have received
individual comments as well.

Cribb said after the Oct. 19 meeting that his company was still interested
in locating a prison in Paso Robles, despite the overwhelming negative
response. The council then scheduled the Nov. 17 hearing.

One speaker Tuesday expressed concern that Cribb's seemingly unflagging
desire to pursue Paso Robles as a prison site might lead to the
construction of a Maranatha facility just outside city limits.

Mayor Duane Picanco said the council would contact the county Board of
Supervisors and ask for a courtesy alert should any company begin
considering to build a prison near Paso Robles.

When Cribb learned last week that the city was talking about killing the
two proposals, he had no comment, other than that Maranatha would be
"disappointed" if it happened.

Both Maranatha and Community Correctional said in August that they had
approached other cities as well.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski