A key employer in this area stands to lose up to 62 employees over the next six months if plans by the Kansas Department of Corrections are followed.
The Labette Women’s Correctional Camp at Oswego was closed at the end of Wednesday, leaving some 16 works without jobs.An additional 46 employees will lose theirs by June 30 when the men’s correctional camp in Oswego.
A group of community leaders from Labette County made a trip to Topeka on Dec. 19 in a lobbying effort toward keeping the camps open, but their presentations did not receive the desired response by state officials who are attempting to cut their budget 3% statewide.
Lonie Addis, chairman of the Labette County Commission, said a total of six people representing Labette County attended the meeting with Sec. of Corrections Roger Werholtz and Chuck Simmons, deputy secretary for facilities management for the KDOC.
“I think it went well,” said Addis. “But at this point, it looks like the women’s camp will close at the end of December, then the men’s camp will close by June. We are still seeking alternatives and seeking assistance and will try our best to keep the camps open, but we will also entertain other options.”
Those options might include converting the correctional camps into regular prison housing. Specific interest has been shown by officials of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department in Wichita which is needing more cell space for inmates.
But Addis said he and other community leaders are still hoping to keep the men’s portion of the local camp open. Although LCCC administrator Tom Bringle has not been officially notified of the men’s camp closing, he fully expects to receive that notice after Jan. 1, with a six-month notice.
That gap in timing will give the local leaders some time to lobby lawmakers in Topeka and other officials of the KDOC. In the case of the women’s camp closure, there was scarcely any time since its closing happened within 45 days of the first notice from the KDOC.  Since the Kansas Legislature would not reconvene until January, it left few options for local leaders to consider.
Those attending the Dec. 19 meeting in Topeka were: Commissioner Addis,  LCC President Dr. George Knox and LCCC Board Member; Stacey Green, former inmate at LCWC and current LWCC board member; Tom Bringle, LWCC Administrator; Sen. Dwayne Umbarger and Rep. Rich Proehl.
Addis said the presentations by local officials to the KDOC officials were well received, however he granted that those in Topeka have a difficult job ahead of them making necessary cuts in state spending to offset a nearly $1 billion deficit from the past year.
The group had hoped to meet with Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius but she was out of town. Her chief of staff, Troy Finley, and three other aides met with the local delegation.