Petition Opposes
Work Camp
By M. D. Drysdale

A petition in opposition to a Department of Corrections work camp was presented to the Randolph selectboard Tuesday night. The board indicated it welcomes input but has heard conflicting views from the community.

The Department established one work camp for non-violent prisoners in St. Johnsbury several years ago and it says the camp has been such a success-for both the city and the inmates-that it would like to establish a second, and perhaps eventually a third, in other Vermont communities.

State officials gave a presentation to the board and public this summer ago, but since then the town has heard nothing, it was indicated Tuesday night. The town of Swanton had expressed serious interest, so the department's efforts were focused there. However, Swanton voters rejected the idea a couple of weeks ago.

The petition received by the selectboard carried 135 signatures, of which 80 were from Randolph, related board chair Jim Hutchinson. The petitioners said they were "concerned" at the prospect of a work camp, which might be built across the railroad tracks from the trash transfer center. They requested that the town "discontinue discussions" with the state on the matter.

Hutchinson, however, said that to do so would "abrogate our responsibility" to thoroughly study the proposal-if, in fact, the state is still interested.

"The concept of discontinuing discussion seems premature to me," Hutchinson said. He noted the discussions so far have not been substantial and there's a lot more to learn.

"We haven't even given the state any idea on what we would want in return," he said. "It might end up being a good thing for the town, but it might not."

The camp would house 100 inmates and would employ 46 people in a great variety of positions.

He noted that board members have been "soliciting opinion" about the $5 million work camp and have gotten quite a bit of it. What they've heard so far, he said, is "fairly evenly split" about the pros and cons.

Selectboard member Dawn Butterfield urged citizens to contact board members.

St. Johnsbury officials have proclaimed themselves happy with the camp there, especially because of the community service project the work camp inmates perform. They say there have been no serious incidents involving prisoners, and only one "escape," a man who was apprehended when he came back to the center.

Sentiment against the work camp center around concerns that the town might become known as a "prison town" and that families of the incarcerated men would be attracted here.