Local leaders appalled by Clinton Annex's now looming closure

DANNEMORA | As word of the impending closure of the Clinton Correctional Facility Annex spread, area representatives and union officials expressed widespread concern about the local family and economic impacts of the state's decision. "Closing Clinton Annex will have a significant impact on the Town of Dannemora. Like many other upstate towns that are struggling economically during this pandemic, the 200 plus officers and sergeants that work at Clinton Annex and their families support many of the local businesses in Dannemora and the surrounding towns," NYSCOPBA Northern Region Vice President John Roberts told Sun Community News Dec. 21 as he fielded dozens of calls from concerned officers and local representatives. "Closing the Annex and eliminating these positions could have a devastating impact on the community and is disheartening with Christmas just days away." Town of Dannemora Supervisor Bill Chase said the state's decision "is a slap in the face to the North Country." "This is the second closure within the confines of the Town of Dannemora; Lyon Mountain Correctional Facility in 2011 and now this one. Our region has been saddled with too many closures and this will have a devastating impact on our area," Chase said as he joined U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik and other local leaders in calling for a reversal on the state's decision. Assemblyman Billy Jones said "As a former correction officer, I know all too well the impact this will have on the entire North Country. The hardworking men and women who work at Clinton Annex have been on the frontlines throughout this pandemic and they did not deserve this slap in the face right before the holidays." "Closing yet another North Country prison will once again put more stress on North Country families if they must relocate for jobs while also impacting the local economy of Dannemora and the surrounding communities. Not to mention, the closure puts correction officers' safety at serious risk." Jones said he was extremely disappointed with the decision said "As more prisons close and inmates are transferred, the remaining facilities become overcrowded, often with high-security inmates, putting the officers who work there in dangerous conditions." Retiring Sen. Betty Little, a longtime and staunch advocate of local officers, said "There's really no hope of replacing the local jobs that will be lost as a result of the Clinton Annex being shut down. We've seen that with Camp Gabriels, Chateaugay, and Lyon Mountain." "It's a bad time of year for news like this. My argument has always been we need to reduce overcrowding and that need has only become more apparent with COVID-19. Closing facilities runs counter to safety." Senator-elect Dan Stec called the move "a big blow to the North Country." "The Governor is doing this under the authority given to him as part of the 2020 NYS budget. I was adamantly opposed to this 90-day notice allowing the Governor to close a correctional facility and it's one of the reasons I voted against the budget. The Clinton Annex is an integral part of our law enforcement system and given the challenges of COVID coupled with the rise in crime rates, closing this facility will only add to these challenges." NYSCOPBA President Michael Powers said upstate communities rely heavily on revenue generated from those employed at area prisons and that the closures will bring serious economic impacts to the region. "Upstate communities were struggling even before the onset of COVID-19. Removing hundreds of jobs within these localities will be a crippling financial blow," he said. "And to deliver this news just days before Christmas is flat out wrong. We'll continue to fight for our members and the communities where they live."

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Local leaders appalled by Clinton Annex's now looming closure

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