HomeMy WebLinkAbout19. 15-178
APRIL 14, 2015 15-178 RESOLUTION
(CARRIED___7-0____LOST________LAID OVER________WITHDRAWN________)
PURPOSE: OPPOSE THE REDUCTION OF STATE CORRECTIONAL STAFF
POSITIONS AND THE CLOSING OF PRISON TOWERS IN THE
CITY OF OSHKOSH
INITIATED BY: COUNCIL MEMBER HERMAN
WHEREAS, the Governor’s 2015-17 budget proposes to eliminate as many as 60
state corrections officer positions in prison guard towers during third shift hours; and
WHEREAS, this proposal threatens the safety of staff, inmates and citizens who live
around state correctional settings, including the Oshkosh Correctional Institution; and
WHEREAS, third shifts in prisons are typically operated by smaller crews, which are
especially short when staff are called away for unforeseen incidents, leaving parts of the
institutions unmonitored, making tower staffing all the more important; and
WHEREAS, using technology to replace tower staff to monitor inmates raises
questions about what would happen in cases of technical failures, as well as how this may
affect response times in emergencies; and
WHEREAS, eliminating staff will remove the deterrent effect that staff in towers
have on inmates considering escapes; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Oshkosh have a reasonable expectation that the state of
Wisconsin and the state legislature will adequately staff the Oshkosh Correctional
Institution and take necessary precautions to protect neighborhoods and their residents, as
well as well as the inmates themselves; and
WHEREAS, the loss of these positions will have a negative impact on the Oshkosh
economy, as the eliminated positions will lower overall compensation and result in the
movement of skilled employees out of the Oshkosh area.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council of the City of
Oshkosh goes on record in opposition to the plan to eliminate 60 correctional officer
positions and urges the Joint Committee on Finance to reject these budget reductions due
to their detrimental impact on safety, security, and the economy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution shall be sent to Joint
Committee on Finance members Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), Rep. Michael Schraa
(R-Waupun), and other members of the Joint Committee on Finance, Senator Rick Gudex