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Grants women’s prison assured
to stay open
PER GOVERNOR RICHARDSON

By Donald Jaramillo
Beacon publisher/managing editor
Published Thursday, November 12, 2009 5:19 PM MST

GRANTS - According to several sources, including Clemente Sanchez, director of the Small Business Development Center, Governor Bill Richardson has said that he will not work toward closing the New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility in Grants.

    Sanchez, a longtime resident of Cibola County, was one of the primary group of people who visited with the governor on Tuesday afternoon.

    The visit lasted about one-half hour, Sanchez said. “He said it,” he said. “He assured us the women's prison would not close.”

    Following the recent special session, Secretary of Corrections Joe Williams suggested that he might be forced to close a couple of prisons in New Mexico, the Grants women facility being one of them. Shortly after the announcement by Williams, Cibola County legislators and community leaders' phones started to ring. A facilities administrator, along with the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce held an emergency meeting last week to organize an effort to fight the prison's possible closure. Sanchez was at the meeting and was nominated to lead a delegation to visit the governor on Monday. The delegation included the warden of the prison, her assistant Lisa Riley, City of Grants officials Mayor Joe Murrietta and City Councilman Ronald Ortiz, Cibola County Commissioners Tony Gallegos and Lloyd Felipe and Sheriff Johnny Valdez and Milan officials Mayor Tom Ortega and Trustee Ellen Baca.

    In regard to getting a meeting with the Governor so quickly Sanchez said, “A little luck and Ken Martinez.

    “Our objective was simple - the prison,” said Sanchez. “We gave him the facts - jobs, a vacant building, etc. The warden of the prison did a wonderful in providing him some real statistics.”

Sanchez said the governor thanked Cibola County for being very good to him.

    “He asked for one thing,” Sanchez noted, “He asked that we cooperate with our local legislators in helping them balance the budget.

    “Everyone that went thought the meeting was successful. I emailed Ken Martinez afterward and he replied by email, 'Wonderful! Great news.'”

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Comments

Eddie wrote on Nov 17, 2009 6:56 PM:

" How many CCA executives came to Grants to address this issue with their employees and the elected officials of the City of Grants? They were hoping that this contract would go away so they could rape some other state or the federal goverment for a more profitable contract. Another scare tactic that was generated by Gov and his correctional lap dogs. Follow CCA's stock symbol cxw click inside trader and see the millions they suck from the company. How many employees have spent 20 years with CCA in Grants and retired? NONE CCA has no retirement plan great place to work for a little above minimum wage. Time to form a union. "

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smarter than a fifth grader wrote on Nov 13, 2009 10:39 AM:

" did any of those that attended the meeting notice which side of his mouth the governor was speaking from when he "assured" them that the prison won't close? "

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Marie wrote on Nov 13, 2009 10:02 AM:

" Now can we do a story on the ACTUAL State employees forced to take 5 days without pay by the end of the fiscal year? The women's prison was NEVER in danger of closing, They would have found another contract from somewhere else. "

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Grants women’s prison assuredto stay open PER GOVERNOR RICHARDSON

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Grants women’s prison assured
to stay open
PER GOVERNOR RICHARDSON