Town Finds Prison Work Camp A Boon

Residents protested a lot when the state Department of Corrections decided to convert an old hospital building to a work camp seven years ago.

There are few complaints now.

“The work camp is probably the best going concern to ever hit this town,” said Elaine Stoddard, who has lived in St. Anthony 35 years. “In spite of all the fears voiced, we’ve never had any trouble.

“In fact, they provide services no one else does. They haul wood for widows and widowers, they shovel snow, help the handicapped - they do things many really couldn’t afford to hire someone to do.”

Warden Jon Lang said early in the program, it was decided to do everything possible to turn the facility into an integral part of the community and good neighbors to the residential community around the hospital.

“We do all we can to help out and be of service,” Lang said. “Over the last five years, people have realized we can be an asset. Now, there’s very little that happens in the community that we’re not part of.”

The work camp, a minimum security facility, took over the building that formerly housed Fremont General Hospital. It had been vacant for five years.

Although it gave local residents a chance to generate income from the building rather than pay to maintain it, citizens were afraid inmates would escape.

But the problems have been few. Sex offenders and violent criminals are not allowed at the work camp. Most of the inmates are serving time for drug and alcohol offenses, property-related crimes, forgery and probation violation.

“None of the negative factors have materialized,” Lang said.

“I think the majority of the people feel that these guys are better working and doing something constructive to pay for their cost of incarceration than to be just sitting around.”

As part of the original lease agreement, three inmates were assigned to the city maintenance department.

One inmate works maintaining city flower beds, another does janitorial work at the county jail and another maintains the city building. Other crews are working on the Roxy Theatre renovation, cleaning parks and doing maintenance.

Chris Eastman, professional at the Fremont County Golf Course, said the golf course wouldn’t be in good shape without the inmates.

“They are the ground crew and are responsible for the course being in such good shape,” he said.

“We don’t generate enough of an income to pay what it would normally cost for grounds keepers.”

Lang said his biggest problem is finding enough work for the inmates.

When they are fully occupied, he said, inmates are happier and that means fewer management and disciplinary problems.