Residents speak out about jail

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January 21, 2009

Challenge building site selections

By AMBER DILLEY The Glasgow Daily Times Wed Jan 21, 2009, 12:40 PM CST

GLASGOW — Citizens filled the Barren County Fiscal Court chambers Tuesday evening to express concern about possible plans to build a new county jail near the Bunche Community Center and First Baptist Church.

A second location on Columbia Avenue, near the Park Avenue area, was also being considered.

Glasgow residents have been signing a petition that requests the court reconsider building on the sites.

The petition states: “Objection to the Barren County Corrections Center relocation to either South Lewis Street or Columbia Avenue. We the undersigned object to relocation on grounds that if development went ahead, it would result in significant negative economic and social impact in traditionally low income areas.”

The petition also recommended that the county work with the community to choose a better location.

First Baptist Church Pastor Mike Rice said that while the community realizes a jail is necessary, he doesn’t think it’s appropriate to place the jail in a low-income area.

“I just don’t think that this place would be a good place for the people who live in these areas,” Rice said. “I think a lot of us are under the persuasion that it’s a good buy because of the area that it’s in. We value our neighborhood and we just feel like placing this jail in the stockyard property or the Columbia Avenue area would drive those properties down. I would also like for you to consider that there are churches, resource centers and widows who live in close proximity to the proposed location.”

Rice said having a jail so close to the Bunche Community Center and First Baptist Church would send the wrong message.

“We want our children to understand that they can be anything they want to be and not see their culture represented down the street,” Rice said. “Research says that there are more black men in prison than in college and we don’t want to send the message to our community that there’s no hope for us. There’s no doubt in my mind that the community would have welcomed a place to house books, but we don’t welcome a place to house the crooks.”

Barren County Judge-Executive Davie Greer said the two locations were the only ones the court was looking at and that now the court would have to start from scratch looking for property and that the court would take the community’s concern in to consideration.

Magistrate Tommy Matthews said he was glad to see the community getting involved.

“Anytime we’re going to do something, the community should be involved and your opinions are very much important,” Matthews said. “We’re going to try to do this thing with as little disruption as we can.”

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