Centre County officials express surprise, concern at proposal to close Rockview state prison

Centre County officials expressed surprise and concern Monday after Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration recommended the closure of Rockview state prison, a 110-year-old facility that employs hundreds.

It appears Shapiro’s administration began notifying stakeholders of the decision Monday morning, before the state Department of Corrections made its proposal public.

“I don’t know what to say other than I am shocked,” Benner Township Supervisor Kathy Evey told the Centre Daily Times. “... It could have a significant impact here. Not just in Benner Township, but in the school district and Centre County.”

She later added: “I am just at a loss.”

State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, said he was “deeply surprised and concerned” about the proposal, which also called for the closure of Quehanna Boot Camp in neighboring Clearfield County. He said he received a call from the governor’s team Monday morning.

“The closure of these facilities could have significant negative impacts on not only the employees and their families, but our communities and local economy as a whole,” he said in a written statement.

State Sen. Cris Dush, R-Brookville, said he was “a little frustrated at the fact that they did not give me a heads up on this sooner than they had.”

He said the governor’s office attempted to reach him Monday morning, but he was unable to answer the call because of a meeting. He learned of the plan through email.

“The governor’s office, they should have let me know a little bit ahead of this,” Dush said.

It’s unclear when Centre County’s commissioners and administrators were made aware of the announcement. At about 11:45 a.m. Monday, a county spokesperson said the commissioners were “currently digesting this news and evaluating what this means for Centre County.” They plan to make remarks at Tuesday’s commissioners' meeting.

Benner Township Secretary and Treasurer Sharon Royer said the township was told of the decision about 9 a.m. Monday, about 90 minutes before it was made public.

State Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria, said Shapiro’s plan is “shortsighted, lacks common sense, and would cripple our local economy.” Rockview and Quehanna “need to stay in operation,” he said.

“I stand in full opposition to this proposal and will utilize all available resources to ensure it does not occur,” Langerholc said. “Corrections is a core governmental service. Besides ensuring the community’s safety, these facilities provide stable, family sustaining jobs that are essential to our local economy. ... I stand with all the men and women who put on the uniform daily and will work to put an end to this ill-conceived notion.”

Shapiro’s administration announced last week when he released his budget proposal that he would close two prisons, but did not identify which. Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association President John Eckenrode said the move caused “widespread panic” among those who work in the DOC system.

He also cast the governor’s announcement as a “dog-and-pony show because they already knew what facilities they wanted to close.”

“The men and women who work in Pennsylvania’s state prisons work daily with the most dangerous people in this commonwealth. They have been brutally assaulted, beaten, stabbed,” Eckenrode said in a statement. “Our members are remarkable public servants who deserve better than to be treated like this. So much better.”

The union further said it plans to “vigorously fight against this misguided decision.”

“This proposal ignores how it will devastate the families of our members, who will now have their lives turned upside down, and the local communities that depend on these facilities for jobs and economic development,” Eckenrode said. “In nearly every case, a state prison is the primary economic development engine of its area.”

Rockview employs 658 staff members, the DOC said. If the agency’s plan is implemented, its Secretary Laurel R. Harry said every affected staff member will be guaranteed a job offer at their existing pay and classification at a nearby facility.

If not at Benner Township state prison on the same grounds, the nearest state prisons are about 40 miles away. Muncy state prison is about 67 miles away. Dush said the proposal would be a “tremendous burden on families.”

“I know these decisions have a direct impact on our staff and supporting them through this process is a top priority,” Harry said in a statement.

The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County said the proposed closure will “significantly impact our county’s labor force and economy.”

“While we understand SCI Rockview staff will be guaranteed job offers at their existing pay and classification at nearby institutions, it is likely some displaced employees will seek other opportunities in Centre County,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “CBICC is committed to working with partner agencies to navigate this transition for employees at SCI Rockview and their families.”

Built in 1915, Rockview state prison is the second-oldest among the nearly two dozen in the state’s prison system. Rockview’s building condition is rated “fair,” but the aging facility is expected to require $74 million in upgrades over the next five years.

Included in that tally are what the DOC described as “crucial” projects such as roofs, waterlines, showering facilities, a boiler system and exterior repairs. Some major systems are more than 50 years old.

The proposal also comes against the backdrop of corrections officer vacancies and massive overtime payments across the state prison system, especially since the coronavirus pandemic. Over the last two fiscal years, the state paid more than $70.5 million in overtime to cover vacancies.

Prison populations have also been shrinking over the past decade. Only about 82% of beds in the entire prison system were filled as of the end of last year. If the Rockview and Quehanna closures are implemented, the DOC still expects nearly 4,200 beds for men to be empty.

No savings are anticipated for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Potential savings the following fiscal year could reach about $120 million.

While the recommendation strongly indicates the DOC’s intentions, it is not final. Public comments will be accepted for at least three months and state law requires the agency to host at least one public hearing in Centre County before a decision is finalized.

The soonest Rockview could close is Sept. 10. It’s not clear what could happen with the facility if it closes. A Department of Corrections spokesperson told the CDT it “may be too early to determine.”

“I have always believed that in every setback or challenge there is also opportunity,” Takac said. “At this moment — while this news is still fresh — it is difficult to know what those might be, but rest assured that as this process plays out, I will do everything in my power to minimize any negative impacts and fight like hell to maximize all the resources and benefits available.”