A governor-appointed task force is narrowing the number of possible men’s prison sites.
The task force is abandoning the option of a contentious spot in Lincoln County, which the state has already spent $60 million to prepare for the project.
The Project Prison Reset task force wants the state engineer’s office to explore options for a prison in four sites: the communities of Mitchell and Worthing — as well as expanding prison facilities on land next to the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls. It also wants to consider expansion in Springfield, where the Mike Durfee prison is located.
That’s pared down from 13 possible site locations.
Removed from the list of options is a state-owned parcel of land originally proposed for a new 1,500-bed prison, which a recent report recommended as the top location for a new facility.
“Unfortunately, I think, the current Lincoln County site that the state started to develop is not palatable to the Legislature," said Rep. Brian Mulder, R-Sioux Falls.
The task force wants to look at options in these locations for possible 1,500 to 1,700-bed prisons at a cost of $600 million.
Prospective contractors warn the options might not meet the state’s request of a facility that will last for 100 years.
The work is part of an effort to replace the state’s 144-year-old prison in Sioux Falls.
“I think we’ve had a very open, public process. We’re heading in the direction where we will hopefully have a plan, or a couple versions of a plan, that are viable and that we believe can get broad support in the Legislature," said Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, chair of the task force.
The project prison reset task force has one more meeting, tentatively scheduled for July 8, before state lawmakers are scheduled for a special session. That July 22 special session is reserved for voting on the task force’s recommendation.
