Commissioner Goord said he is in the process of forming a Community Advisory Task Force to be the Department s liaison with the Town of Altamont and the Franklin County community. The board will include up to a dozen members, including private citizens, business representatives, community leaders and elected officials. It will meet at least monthly with representatives of the Department. The meetings will be used to answer any questions from board members and to update them on all aspects of the construction project. I want to get the board in place this month so that we have a conduit with the community as soon as possible.
Residents have every right to know, understand and comment on every step of the process.
The state will pay the cost of the lines and their connection to the village system. The 750 cells were designed for double occupancy and have 105 square feet of interior space, making them the largest in the prison system. Three hundred of the 1,500 inmates will be cadre those allowed out of their cells to work in the kitchen, laundry, facility and grounds maintenance. The remaining 1,200 inmates will be locked in their cells 24 hours each day, except for one hour of court-mandated daily recreation, legal, family and medical visits. Cadre will deliver their meals to their cells.