PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — The Wisconsin State Building Commission has released the $15 million Gov. Evers recently requested to begin work across several Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) facilities.
Part of the work includes closing Green Bay Correctional Institution.
“We’ve worked hard to come up with a common-sense plan to modernize and reform our state’s correctional facilities that will save taxpayers in the long run while keeping our communities safe, and I’m excited our plan has earned bipartisan support,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m glad that we’ll be able to move forward with resources from our bipartisan state budget to begin work on critical projects so we can work toward closing GBCI and Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools. It’s been a long time coming, and, as we move forward, it’ll continue to be important that the Legislature supports our efforts along the way if we want to prevent further delays and keep this plan moving on time and on schedule,” said Gov. Evers.
For years, Green Bay Correctional Institution has faced criticism for it’s aging facilities, inhumane conditions, overcrowding, and more.
Earlier this year, Gov. Evers unveiled a DOC budget plan. His administration says the reform plan includes a complex “domino series” of projects at several DOC facilities that, coupled with necessary reforms to help stabilize the state’s skyrocketing prison population, are designed to ultimately close Green Bay Correctional Institution, revamp Waupun Correctional Institution into a state-of-the-art “vocational village,” and close Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools and advance 2017 Wisconsin Act 185 to utilize a regional approach to youth populations at smaller facilities, among other key projects.
The State Building Commission’s release of the $15 million secured in the 2025-27 state budget will help ensure projects continue on time and prevent any project delays that could drive up project costs, especially as it relates to keeping projects on schedule in order to close Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools.
The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) and DOC have already begun the process of selecting an architect-engineer of record for the DOC realignment projects. The release of these funds will allow DOA to execute a timely contract for the development of these preliminary plans.
Comments