COAL TOWNSHIP — A large crowd gathered at the old Northwestern Academy site to officially break ground on the new Northumberland County prison. Northumberland County Commissioners, local police from surrounding areas, and even represebtatives from US Congressman Lou Barletta’s (R-11th, Hazelton) office were in attendance as the plans for the new prison were officially unveiled.
Northumberland County Commissioner Rick Shoch kicked off the festivities talking about what this campus will mean for the future of the region, and it’s long lasting benefits, “I like to think of this not so much as a groundbreaking, on a prison, but the blazing of a trail for Northumberland County for a different way of handling our citizens who need help and direction. That’s what I’m excited about.”
Northumberland County Commissioner Sam Schiccatano likened this process and the collaborative efforts of all involved to that of a coaching staff prepping for a game, “This whole journey, to me, was like preparing for a game. All the coaches get together and they decide and work on how to make that defense work against the opponent you have, and you make your team successful and that’s how this project was.”
State Rep. Kurt Masser (R-107th, Elysburg) shared an amusing anecdote about conferences he’d go to while he was a County Commissioner that reflected the long overdue nature of this groundbreaking saying, “I’d go to breakout sessions about jail overcrowding. I’ll never forget the one, and we’re sitting in there and I forget which county the lady was from, but she said ‘we need a new prison, ours is so old, it was built back in 1972.’ I leaned over to her and I said ‘try 1876.’ She just shook her head in amazement.”
There was quite a bit of emphasis placed on a June of 2018 timetable in which the construction of the prison will be completed. Project manager Todd Rothermel said June of 2018 is doable.”June is an aggressive date…but it’s reasonable.”
Work is set to begin on the campus as soon as mid-May.
