New Hampshire Officials Halt $700 Million Prison Replacement
Conditions at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord have been deteriorating for years. During a recent tour of the facility, Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill found rats in the kitchen, a reception area covered in tarps to cover up leaks, and maggots falling from the ceiling. She called the conditions “atrocious,” a sentiment shared by the other executive councilors. In New Hampshire, the Executive Council is an advisory board that also retains the ability to overrule the governor in certain circumstances.
But despite seeing the need for a new prison, executive councilors shot down the latest replacement proposal, citing cost as the main reason. According to the Concord Monitor, rebuilding the prison is expected to be the largest capital project in New Hampshire’s history. And if it were built today, the councilors believe the cost could reach $700 million. “I think we can get a better deal,” Councilor John Stephen (R) told the Concord Monitor.
The council’s decision further delays a rebuild that has faced delays for close to a decade. The current prison was first built in 1878 and expanded in the 1980s. State Department of Corrections (DOC) Commissioner Bill Hart that the delay “won’t be good from a cost perspective,” suggesting that future bids would likely come in higher than the $700 million estimate.
Councilor David Wheeler (R) said he voted against the proposal because of a “gut feeling.”
Source: Concord Monitor
As a digital subscriber to Prison Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login