Inmates give $740,000 back to the community through projects

In 2008, state inmates saved McDowell County taxpayers $741,768 by helping out with local work projects.
Through the N.C. Department of Correction's Community Work Projects, state inmates assisted local governments, the school system and the community college in numerous ways and helped keep McDowell looking good by picking up litter along the roads. They worked a total of 92,721 hours in 2008. What they did in 2008 is also an increase from the year before. In 2007, state inmates worked a total of 87,137 hours and saved local taxpayers an estimated $653,528.
Last week, local officials took time to tell the inmates how much they appreciate the work they do.
"This is just a small way to say thank you," said Freddie Killough, executive director of the Marion Business Association.
Under this program, a correctional officer supervises a crew of minimum custody inmates on short term, manual labor projects for local governments, state agencies and nonprofit organizations. Last Wednesday, inmates, officers and Department of Corrections officials were treated to an appreciation luncheon at the Marion Community Building. It was the 11th year of the event.
"We like to be a good neighbor, and we try to be a good neighbor," said Sid Harkleroad, administrator of Marion Correctional Institution. "We consider ourselves a part of the community."
During the past year, state inmates in the CWP built a new block building for the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service at the county's Agricultural Barn, formed and poured concrete for a new canoe launch on the Catawba River and poured concrete floors and remodeled the inside of storage sheds for the N.C. Wildlife Commission.
Inmates also refurbished two of the radio communications facilities for the Federal Aviation Administration in McDowell. That work included removing trees, painting perimeter fences, clearing access roads and cleaning out ditches. They also cleaned up illegal dumpsites on Mill Creek Road, Salem Church Road and Old Greenlee Road. A total of 3 ½ tons of trash and 275 tires were removed from those sites.
The state prisoners also worked 5,248 hours for the McDowell County School System.
"We could not take care of the 13 schools without your help," said Assistant Superintendent Mike Murray.
Commission Chairman David Walker said the inmates have worked on the interior and replaced all the furniture at the McDowell Economic Development Association office. They have cut the grass and trimmed the weeds around the McDowell House and cleaned fire trucks and cut more grass at local fire departments. They have painted the offices and hallways and remodeled bathrooms at the Department of Social Services. The work they did for the county alone has saved McDowell taxpayers an estimated $60,000, according to Walker.
The inmates worked for the McDowell County Sheriff's Office, the N.C. Department of Transportation, the town of Old Fort and McDowell Technical Community College. They are also working to renovate the inside of the former Marion Manufacturing building into the new Ford Miller Employment Training Center.
"We couldn't do it without you," said MTCC President Bryan Wilson.
The program's litter crew also collected 13,463 bags of trash from 1,194 miles of highway throughout McDowell.
Last Wednesday's luncheon had an additional emphasis. County and city leaders are working to recruit a medium-security prison to McDowell that would house around 500 inmates and employ 250 workers.
The state DOC is looking to build two new medium-security prisons, one in the western part of the state and the other in the eastern part. The DOC pays good wages and benefits and prison jobs are considered to be "recession proof."
The county has gotten letters of support from the McDowell Chamber of Commerce, McDowell Mission Ministries, the town of Old Fort and the city of Marion. Recently, the Marion City Council approved giving a 74.8-acre tract of land and an 86.4-acre tract to the state DOC. The land could be used for a prison or a laundry facility.
"I am proud of the prisons we have in McDowell County because they give jobs," said Mayor Everette Clark. "We are very supportive of what you do."