Washington County town officials, business leaders and employees at the Downeast Correctional Facility (DCF) joined county legislators in Augusta on February 15 to testify against a proposal by the LePage administration to close the Machiasport prison, which employs 50 people and houses up to 150 inmates. The hearing was held by the legislature's Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee.
     Rep. Will Tuell of East Machias presented petitions signed by 1,500 people opposed to the closure and noted that many others had submitted comments to the committee. He pointed out that three successive governors "have tried their utmost to close the Machiasport prison. And yet each time we have been on the brink of closure, the legislature has realized the value, the impact, the need for a statewide approach to corrections. Each time senators and representatives from both parties have realized the folly, the shortsightedness, the devastation that closing one of Maine's prisons would bring to our criminal justice system, our state and specifically to the people of Washington County."
     Senator Joyce Maker of Calais stated that the proposal to eliminate funding of the Downeast Correctional Facility "could be devastating to Washington County and its local businesses, as well as the many individuals who earn a living by working at the facility." She noted, "We have been facing a lot of losses during the past few years with the loss of nursing homes, the loss of the DHHS office in the Calais area, losing services to our constituents and forcing them to travel to places further from their families and their homes. We have faced losing the Downeast Correctional Facility many times over the years."
     Department of Corrections Commissioner Joseph Fitzpatrick informed the committee that, under the plan to defund the prison, inmates would be given ankle‑bracelets and put out on the street with no transition services or supervision.
     In her comments, Maker stated that she had serious concerns about allowing the release of prisoners with ankle bracelets. "These are individuals who have been convicted of a crime. We must first give serious thought about the type of crime that was committed, as well as the cost of funding additional probation and parole officers to watch over them." Joyce Howland of Bucks Harbor expressed similar concerns, stating that releasing prisoners into the community where there are "an elementary school, several churches and close-knit families will threaten the safety of this area."
     Washington County Manager Betsy Fitzgerald spoke about the impact that the work crews from DCF have "on the economic health of this area," as they assist with many projects. The wood shop helped restore the Washington County Courthouse, and inmates work in numerous local industries, from wreath-making to lobstering.
     David Bell, general manager of Cherryfield Foods Inc., pointed out, "We have found the DCF work release program a reliable alternative to meet our peak labor needs at Maine Wild Blueberry Company. If we do not have a reliable local alternative to meet our labor needs in state, we will need to source out-of-state labor, which will result in the majority of seasonal wages paid moving out of state."
     Machias businessman David Whitney told lawmakers that his family businesses hire between 30‑40 prisoners on work release every year, paying competitive wages and allowing the state to recoup some of its boarding costs. "They want to be at work," Whitney said.
     In their letter, Machias Town Manager Christina Therrien and Aubrey Carter, chairman of the board of selectmen, noted that inmates provide over 20,000 annual hours of community service to nonprofits and municipalities throughout the region.
     Olivia Spencer of Northfield, who has worked for over 29 years at DCF, stated that the closure of the prison would mean the loss of 51 state positions. "Finding replacement jobs for these people will not only be difficult but nearly impossible," she wrote, noting that Washington County is one of the poorest counties in Maine, with a 6.6% unemployment rate.
     The corrections portion of the governor's budget proposal will go before the Criminal Justice Committee for a work session in the coming weeks.