The Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections has sent a Memorandum to all staff at the Vandalia Correctional Center to confirm the center is not closing nor was it being considered for closure.
Rob Jeffrey says at this time they have also decided to hold off on the consolidation/conversion at the Vandalia prison.
Vandalia Mayor Rick Gottman says the memorandum follows a meeting he had with members of the Governor’s staff last week.
“If there is ever consolidation, AFSCME would be notified prior too and we would work through the process. That was the outcome according to this letter. I’m very pleased with it overall working with people and making sure the right things are done. And I feel the Governor’s Office and Department of Corrections listened to what I had to say and others and I’m very pleased with that.
The corrections department director, in the memorandum, said the proposed consolidation plan would have allowed the Department to efficiently operate the facility and better serve the population by moving the staff and population to the newer units on the ground of Vandalia, but would not have resulted in layoffs or geographical transfers. Jeffries says there also were no plans to demolish any buildings at Vandalia and instead they were exploring alternative uses for some of the units that would have been consolidated within the facility.
Jeffries does confirm transfers into Vandalia have slowed down just as they have at some of the other minimum security facilities as a result of sentencing reforms. He notes in February, the population at the Vandalia Correctional Center dropped to 301 inmates. On June 1st, it was up to 525 and as of Wednesday was at 458. Jeffries notes low populations are also reported at some of the state's other minimum security prisons.
