WOODBOURNE - With the Woodbourne Correctional Facility looming in the background, State Senator Peter Oberacker, along with town officials and law enforcement, gathered at the Woodbourne Firehouse to rally and protest against the closure of the Sullivan Correctional Facility. The facility, located a mile away from Woodbourne Correctional, was recently announced to be closing its doors on November 6, 2024.

The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced the closure of two state correctional facilities later this year: the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Sullivan County and the Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Washington County. The department cited staffing challenges and a low prisoner population as factors in the decision to close these facilities.

Sullivan Correctional Facility has 371 staff and 426 inmates, according to DOCCS.

Senator Oberacker, along with local officials, expressed concerns about the short timeline of less than 90 days for the closure and pointed out that the closure will have a significant economic impact on the community.

“90 days to close is totally inadequate. And it’s not only unfair to the families who now face economic uncertainty, but from all the tentacles that come out from that,” said Senator Oberacker.

The senator mentioned that he toured Sullivan Correctional Facility before coming to the rally and noted that relocating could create “potentially dangerous situations for our correctional officers and our communities.”

“I found out about the closing here in Sullivan through a tweet. I wasn’t even afforded a phone call as the highest-ranking legislator in Sullivan County and something that would be affecting my 51st Senate District. I wasn’t even afforded a phone call before I had to find out in a tweet. Totally unacceptable on all levels on all sides of the aisle. No matter what your party affiliation is, respect has gone out the door,” said Senator Oberacker. 

The legislator blamed bail reform and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “disturbing anti-law and order pro-criminal agenda” and called on the Governor to reverse her decision.

As of July 18, 2024, the state’s prison population stands at 33,419, a reduction of more than 54 percent from a high of 72,773 in 1999.

According to the DOCCS, it has reviewed its 44 correctional facilities, considering factors such as diminished inmate populations, physical infrastructure, program offerings, security levels, specialized medical and mental health services, and the availability of other facilities to minimize staff impact. The review also aimed to reduce the effect on communities previously affected by closures.

Fallsburg Supervisor Michael Bensimon said that the closure is a “disaster for the town of Fallsburg and for the community as a whole. These folks are integral parts of our community, part of the fabric of our society, and we don’t want to see them or their family go. This happening exactly about a month before the school year is going to cause a tremendous amount of upheaval for these families.”

Analisha McKenith, who has worked at the Sullivan Correctional Facility for nine years, says this will not only impact her but also her son who has special needs. It will be tough if she has to relocate soon and so close to the start of the school year.

“My son can’t go into any school district. He has to go to specialized schools. Programs are filled up because there’s so many kids that need help,” said McKenith.

McKenith says at this point she does not know what she will do as she does not know where she might be going and won’t know until August 6, when Albany will come down to talk to the correctional officers and give them options for future employment. She added, “And a lot of us have kids, a lot of us have different responsibilities that we have to take care of. A lot of people moved closer to the jail. So, it’s hard.”

Chris Summers, who serves as the President of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), the union representing correctional officers at over 40 state prisons in New York, said, “Closing prisons also creates hardships for officers and their families. Some who have to make the difficult decision to uproot their families and move to a different community, or even worse, leave the security of their jobs to avoid relocation. Instead of closing prisons, the state should focus on recruiting new officers, retaining the experience of the existing officers, and improving safety in every prison.”

Joe Horacek, Mid-Hudson Region Vice President for NYSCOPBA, said, “Sullivan Correctional Facility has been more than just a workplace for many. It’s been a pillar of stability, a source of livelihood, and a cornerstone of our local economy. The proposed closure of this facility threatens to dismantle the stability, causing widespread disruption and hardship. This displacement isn’t just about finding a new job. It’s about the emotional and psychological toll of leaving behind a community they’ve helped build and maintain. The impact on their families cannot be overstated.”

Joining the state senator were members of the Sullivan County Legislature: Chair Nadia Rajsz, Vice Chair Joe Perrello, and Matt McPhillips, Legislator for District 1. 

Rajsz said that the closure of the prison is not only affecting Fallsburg but will affect the whole county. Rajsz, who knows firsthand about the effects of a prison closure on a family, recounted her own husband’s story. When he was working as a correctional officer, the prison he was working at, Mid-Orange Correctional Facility, closed in 2011. He had to go to different prisons before ultimately retiring, and they had a year to make a choice. Even then, they were scrambling on what to do.

Perrello said the legislators are working on a resolution together to send to Albany, demanding that they not shut down the prisons due to the economic and social impact a closure might have on Fallsburg and Sullivan County.

The legislators said they will be working with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office to provide any help to the displaced correctional officers the best they can.

Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff said, “We’re a depressed county. The amount of financial impact this is going to have on a small community like that. This is huge, this is going to cause an incredible impact on our county. I’m hoping that they [Albany] will take a second look at this.”

Sullivan County District Attorney Brian Conaty, who was not at the rally, released a statement saying he is writing to Gov. Hochul, asking her to reconsider her decision.

“I am incensed at the recent announcement to permanently close the DOCCS Sullivan Correctional Facility and, particularly, the complete lack of notice to all the stakeholders so affected. This facility enjoys a long and proud history integral to the law enforcement community of Sullivan County. This abrupt decision raises more questions than it answers and will undoubtedly upend the public safety, economy, and lives of those that bravely served this County,” said Conaty.