The Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC) has changed its stance on the rebuilding of the Logan County Correctional Facility. Initially, Governor JB Pritzker and the Department of Corrections had entertained a $100 million investment to renovate the center.
However, citing inefficiency and unsuitability, officials deemed the current center inadequate due to its infrastructure. Rather than investing in Logan County's facility, IDOC now proposes constructing a new one at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois.
This shift has stirred controversy, particularly in central Illinois, where around 500 jobs are directly impacted and countless more indirectly. Many are concerned about the repercussions of moving these Central Illinois jobs to the Chicago area.
To ensure public participation in the decision-making process, State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason), State Representative Bill Hauter (R-Morton), Logan County Board Chairman Emily Davenport, and Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch are hosting a Facebook Live Informational Town Hall on May 15th at 6:30 p.m.
The goal of the Town Hall is to provide necessary information and gather public feedback for the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s public hearings on the closure and potential relocation of Logan Correctional Center. The event will be streamed live on State Senator Sally Turner’s Facebook page.