Agenda set for Tuesday: Summary of closure act to be followed by remarks from officials
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STERLING – The bipartisan state Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on Sunday released a tentative agenda for Tuesday’s public hearing on the proposed closure of Thomson Correctional Center.
Click here to read the agenda (PDF)
Although the commission is an advisory body only, by law a public hearing must occur before the prison can be closed and sold to the federal government.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Defense plan to house Guantanamo Bay detainees and other federal inmates at the 1,600-bed facility, which has been largely unused since its completion in 2001.
The commission will take the information and comments it receives and make its recommendation to Gov. Pat Quinn and state lawmakers.
Quinn favors selling the $143 million prison, which he says the state cannot afford to fully operate, and state Attorney General Lisa Madigan has said he does not need approval from the General Assembly to do so.
In general, the agenda for the State Facility Closure Act hearing is as follows:
There will be a summary of the State Facility Closure Act and the State Property Control Act followed by remarks from:
n State officials Michael P. Randle, director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, and Jack Lavin, the governor’s chief operating officer.
n Federal officials Harley Lappin, director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Alan Liotta, principal director of the U.S. Department of Defense/Office of Detainee Policy.
n Elected officials and city and village representatives. Seven have signed up so far, including state Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon; Shawn Ortgiesen, Dixon’s director of public works and city engineer; and Thomson officials Mary Jo Pauley, former village president, and Trustee Vicky Trager.
n Employee organizations, unions and associations, including four officials from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union that represents state prison workers.
n Sauk Valley Community College President George Mihel.
n Economic development officials, including Heather Sotelo, of the Greater Sterling Development Corp.; Betty Steinert, administrator of Whiteside County Economic Development; and Sandy Henrekin, with the Rock Falls Community Development Corp.
n Advocacy organizations, including members of The Band of Mothers, Tea Party Patriots, America’s Mighty Warriors and the Illinois Nurses Association.
n The general public.
The commission then will handle old business – proposals from IDOC to close the Jessie Ma Houston Adult Transition Center in Dixmoor, and the Kankakee Correctional Center Minimum Security Unit – new business, then adjourn.
People and groups still can sign up to speak on the prison issue by calling the commission, and they also can sign up at the door of the meeting, so the agenda is subject to additions, corrections and deletions, the commission said in its release.
Forty-two members of the General Assembly also are scheduled to attend the hearing, including state Reps. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling, Jim Sacia, R-Pecatonica, and Mike Boland, D-East Moline.
The meeting is expected to last 5 to 6 hours, and security measures will be handled by the Illinois State Police, with the help of Sterling and Rock Falls police departments and the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office.
Those attending the hearing will be required to pass through metal detectors. Backpacks will not be allowed. Purses will be allowed, but will be searched.
Miller Road from Third to Fourth Avenue will be closed, and Fourth Avenue to the south and north of the high school will be closed.
Illinois Tea Party Patriots, The Band of Mothers and others opposed to the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, opposed to bringing terrorism suspects to the U.S., or opposed to the sale of the prison in general, have planned a protest for 1 p.m., an hour before the hearing begins.
Multiple national and local news agencies are expected to be on hand.
Doors to hearing open at 1 p.m.
The hearing on the proposed closure of Thomson Correctional Center begins at 2 p.m.Tuesday at Sterling High School Centennial Auditorium, 1608 Fourth Ave. Doors open at 1 p.m.
People who wish to speak at the hearing can call the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, 217-782-5320.
People also can sign up at the hearing. Members of the general public will be given 2 minutes each to speak. Elected officials and associations will be given 5 minutes.
The hearing is expected to last 5 to 6 hours.
Hearing guidelines
In preparation for this hearing the Illinois State Police and local Law Enforcement Officials are releasing guidelines for those planning on attending this event. These guidelines have been established to enhance public safety and provide for an uninterrupted flow into the auditorium. The day of the event the following guidelines will be in enforced:
1. Backpacks or extra large hand bags will not be allowed into the auditorium.
2. All purses and/or hand bags will be searched before entering the auditorium.
3. Every person entering the auditorium will pass through a metal detector.
4. No posters, signs, or visual aids will be allowed into the auditorium.
5. No type of voice amplification device will be allowed into the auditorium.
6. All purses and/or hand bags will be searched before entering the gymnasium hosting the basketball tournament.
