SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The plans for constructing a new men’s prison in South Dakota will require revisiting and redesigning.
The task force convened to explore alternate possibilities, such as a different site, held their second meeting today.
The committee discovered that an additional study will be conducted, costing well over $700,000. They won’t be able to progress further until this study is completed.
"The governor instructed us to lay all our cards on the table so we can begin anew," stated Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen, who chairs the committee.
Lieutenant Governor Venhuizen will be heading the newly formed task force.
“As I'm certain you're all aware, this was established by Governor Rhoden to examine the subsequent measures required for the development of prison facilities within our state," Venhuizen stated.
The organization states that they require responses to three crucial queries; assessing the feasibility of the present prison facility, determining the design and construction costs for a potential replacement, and addressing the larger issue of location. They have already invested $50 million in the proposed site in Lincoln County.
"A new consultant was brought onboard approximately a week ago, tasked with developing a fresh report on the requirements and proposed advancements for prisons. I am hopeful that this document will be accessible to us by the time of our June meeting," Venhuizen stated.
This is similar to what the state accomplished four years ago when they employed DLR to carry out a prison study.
It will resemble the process we used when hiring DLR several years back, except this time we brought in Arrington Watkins for a new perspective," Brunner explained. "They received their notice to proceed just yesterday afternoon.
The state has agreed to pay the newly hired consultant up to $729 thousand dollars to uncover the information the committee seeks.
Like the governor has often stated, every option remains available, including potentially choosing a different location.
The research from DLR suggested that a new male correctional facility would require 160 acres of land.
"That introduces adjustments to perimeters allowing you to manage your boundary streets; this is how they reached their conclusion. Arrington Watkins will examine that and determine whether to maintain the same suggestion or propose something different," Brunner stated.
The government possesses additional pieces of property that might serve this purpose, yet acquiring them would necessitate purchasing private lands.
"So if people who own land want to sell it for a potential prison location, we will discuss that during our upcoming meeting," Brunner stated.
The task force was established in February by Governor Rhoden following the Legislature's failure to approve financing for a new male correctional facility in Lincoln County.
The following meeting is set for April 29th in Springfield.
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