45 testify at hearing on prison project

PALMER— At the prison project public hearing in Palmer, 297 people signed in, 31 testified before the crowd, while 14 gave testimony privately to a court reporter at the back of the room. The room was too small for the large attendance. Many likely did not sign in.

A second public hearing has been scheduled for Palmer on Nov. 29, Wed., at Swanson Elementary School. A pre-meeting begins at 6 p.m. The public hearing begins at 7 p.m. and lasts until 9 p.m. Swanson is located at 609 N. Gulkana Street in Palmer off Arctic Ave.

The current public comment period has been extended to Nov. 29. Comment forms are on the Borough Web site, www.matsugov.us click on the Prison icon.

The Planning Commission public hearing is rescheduled for Dec. 11, 6 p.m., also at Swanson Elementary.

No time is available at the public hearings to give answers on the many questions from residents. The hearings are for gathering testimony from the public. Here are answers to a few questions that are on the minds of many:

Where will inmates be released once they have served their sentence?

Statute requires that prisoners be returned to their point of arrest for release. Prisoners would not be released directly from the facility. As the bulk of the MAT-SU Prison inmates will originate from Anchorage, they would be returned to the Anchorage Correctional Complex for release processing. Prisoners originating from the MAT-SU Borough would be returned to the MAT-SU Pretrial facility for release processing.

How will the prison affect property values?

Examples of communities with prisons in Alaska do not demonstrate negative impacts on property values.

In Eagle River, the Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility was there first, then the upscale Eagle Pointe Subdivision moved in a quarter of a mile away. The subdivision has homes in it appraised at $400,000 to $600,000.

Commercial and residential developments, as well as schools, hospitals, and churches, surround correctional facilities in Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, and Nome.

For a comprehensive list of questions visit the Borough Web site, prison page, and click on Frequently Asked Questions.

Contact Patty Sullivan, public affairs manager, with questions (907) 745-9577 or look on the prison page under project contacts.