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Detention facility for illegals pondered
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
While members of the Benson City Council have been given private sessions to hear the sales pitch that might bring a detention center to town, residents Monday night had to hear the news second hand.
Mayor Mark Fenn led the discussion, reciting a sales pitch he was given by Corplan Corrections, a Texas company that wants to build a 104,000-square-foot facility to house mostly women and children who are in the country illegally.
Representatives of the project, Richard Reyes of Innovative Government Strategies, and James Parkey and Toby Michael of Corplan Corrections, did not attend the first public meeting regarding the proposal.
Following the company pitch, Fenn said it would not be a detention center like the one proposed about six years ago when residents vehemently opposed a 500-bed facility off State Route 80.
Instead, the facility, that could be built near the Benson Municipal Airport off Ocotillo Road, is being called a "Family Residential Center of the Southwest," a 25-acre project that would only house families and children.
Fenn said it would be the first facility of its kind. Fenn said the center would be federally funded, but that is not really the case. The center would be paid for with revenue bonds the city would issue. The revenue from the federal per diem for residents would pay off the bonds, as long as the center wins a contract from the federal government. That is not guaranteed. The city would be responsible for retiring the revenue bonds, whether or not they win the bid.
This would not be the first center of its kind. Parkey was involved in a similar project in Hardin, Montana. That city signed off on $27 million in bonds to fund the construction of a 200-bed center that was supposed to house women and children awaiting asylum, deportation or court.
The prison was built in 2007, but remains empty to this day, and Hardin is now responsible for the bonds that are now in default.
According to published reports, Parkey promised Hardin that Corplan Corrections would take care of everything; there would be no liability and the town would benefit economically because it would bring 150 high-paying jobs.
In Hardin, $27 million in bonds were secured. Benson will have to create a corporation that would secure $21 million in revenue bonds to pay for the prison construction.
Corplan Corrections has promised the bonds will be paid for by per diem fees that federal agencies will pay the private corporation over the next 21 years, at which time Benson would assume full ownership of the facility.
Corplan Corrections has also looked at other cities searching for a council willing to build the family centers. In Las Cruces, N. M., city officials are still considering the exact same facility after questions were raised in February.
However, approval may be harder to get now that a state senator has joined the debate.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who represents Las Cruces, questioned whether or not the promise of federal funding is legitimate. The senator told reporters he was unaware of any federal initiatives to fund such a project, and if there were, the Department of Homeland Security would first put such a project out to bid, instead of taking a "build it and the money will come approach."
Corplan Corrections pitched the same project in Las Cruces it is now trying to sell in Benson, stressing that it would not be a detention center.
In a February public meeting in Las Cruces, Toby Michael of Corplan said, "This is not a detention center. It is an extended-stay center. We're not going to be housing criminals, but for the fact that they are undocumented immigrants ... there will be no bars, no cells, no razor wire on the fences. Residents will be housed in a safe and secure environment."
While Corplan Corrections contends they are not proposing a detention center, residents of the facility will be held against their will.
Fenn and other council members said they would proceed cautiously, noting they do have some concerns about the company's reputation and how the financing would work.
But, Fenn told some weary residents in the audience that Benson could benefit from such a facility.
"I have a feeling if someone was presenting a similar facility as a university with dorms, we would say great and would all embrace it," he said. "I realize that the nature of the center is very controversial. Do we as a city put our foot down and say as Americans we don't support this? At some time there could be up to 150 well-paying jobs. You have to balance all that. How much of our political opinion do we interject into city business? I will go on record saying I don't completely endorse this facility. The company may have a checkered history and background and a lot of questions to answer on finances."
Fenn said if the facility isn't built in Benson, it will be built somewhere else where another city could reap the economic benefits.
The council also defended their actions during the 25-minute discussions.
In a short speech to defend the elected board, Councilman David Lambert said they have not gone behind the public's back in considering the measure, but have attended several personal meetings with Corplan Corrections.
Lambert said no laws were broken in the meetings because only three council members were present at a time, therefore a quorum was never formed.
Lambert did not say how many meetings council members have had with the developers.
Councilwoman Lori McGoffin excused herself from the discussions entirely, citing a possible conflict of interest. The second-term councilwoman said Corplan Corrections has contacted her employer, the Medicine Shoppe, about providing pharmaceutical supplies to the facility once it opens.
After discussions, the council directed city staff to continue researching the proposal.
According to the Corplan Corrections Web site, the for-profit Texas company specializes in building detention centers for illegal immigrants, correctional facilities and prisons.
While members of the Benson City Council have been given private sessions to hear the sales pitch that might bring a detention center to town, residents Monday night had to hear the news second hand.
Mayor Mark Fenn led the discussion, reciting a sales pitch he was given by Corplan Corrections, a Texas company that wants to build a 104,000-square-foot facility to house mostly women and children who are in the country illegally.
Representatives of the project, Richard Reyes of Innovative Government Strategies, and James Parkey and Toby Michael of Corplan Corrections, did not attend the first public meeting regarding the proposal.
Following the company pitch, Fenn said it would not be a detention center like the one proposed about six years ago when residents vehemently opposed a 500-bed facility off State Route 80.
Instead, the facility, that could be built near the Benson Municipal Airport off Ocotillo Road, is being called a "Family Residential Center of the Southwest," a 25-acre project that would only house families and children.
Fenn said it would be the first facility of its kind. Fenn said the center would be federally funded, but that is not really the case. The center would be paid for with revenue bonds the city would issue. The revenue from the federal per diem for residents would pay off the bonds, as long as the center wins a contract from the federal government. That is not guaranteed. The city would be responsible for retiring the revenue bonds, whether or not they win the bid.
This would not be the first center of its kind. Parkey was involved in a similar project in Hardin, Montana. That city signed off on $27 million in bonds to fund the construction of a 200-bed center that was supposed to house women and children awaiting asylum, deportation or court.
The prison was built in 2007, but remains empty to this day, and Hardin is now responsible for the bonds that are now in default.
According to published reports, Parkey promised Hardin that Corplan Corrections would take care of everything; there would be no liability and the town would benefit economically because it would bring 150 high-paying jobs.
In Hardin, $27 million in bonds were secured. Benson will have to create a corporation that would secure $21 million in revenue bonds to pay for the prison construction.
Corplan Corrections has promised the bonds will be paid for by per diem fees that federal agencies will pay the private corporation over the next 21 years, at which time Benson would assume full ownership of the facility.
Corplan Corrections has also looked at other cities searching for a council willing to build the family centers. In Las Cruces, N. M., city officials are still considering the exact same facility after questions were raised in February.
However, approval may be harder to get now that a state senator has joined the debate.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who represents Las Cruces, questioned whether or not the promise of federal funding is legitimate. The senator told reporters he was unaware of any federal initiatives to fund such a project, and if there were, the Department of Homeland Security would first put such a project out to bid, instead of taking a "build it and the money will come approach."
Corplan Corrections pitched the same project in Las Cruces it is now trying to sell in Benson, stressing that it would not be a detention center.
In a February public meeting in Las Cruces, Toby Michael of Corplan said, "This is not a detention center. It is an extended-stay center. We're not going to be housing criminals, but for the fact that they are undocumented immigrants ... there will be no bars, no cells, no razor wire on the fences. Residents will be housed in a safe and secure environment."
While Corplan Corrections contends they are not proposing a detention center, residents of the facility will be held against their will.
Fenn and other council members said they would proceed cautiously, noting they do have some concerns about the company's reputation and how the financing would work.
But, Fenn told some weary residents in the audience that Benson could benefit from such a facility.
"I have a feeling if someone was presenting a similar facility as a university with dorms, we would say great and would all embrace it," he said. "I realize that the nature of the center is very controversial. Do we as a city put our foot down and say as Americans we don't support this? At some time there could be up to 150 well-paying jobs. You have to balance all that. How much of our political opinion do we interject into city business? I will go on record saying I don't completely endorse this facility. The company may have a checkered history and background and a lot of questions to answer on finances."
Fenn said if the facility isn't built in Benson, it will be built somewhere else where another city could reap the economic benefits.
The council also defended their actions during the 25-minute discussions.
In a short speech to defend the elected board, Councilman David Lambert said they have not gone behind the public's back in considering the measure, but have attended several personal meetings with Corplan Corrections.
Lambert said no laws were broken in the meetings because only three council members were present at a time, therefore a quorum was never formed.
Lambert did not say how many meetings council members have had with the developers.
Councilwoman Lori McGoffin excused herself from the discussions entirely, citing a possible conflict of interest. The second-term councilwoman said Corplan Corrections has contacted her employer, the Medicine Shoppe, about providing pharmaceutical supplies to the facility once it opens.
After discussions, the council directed city staff to continue researching the proposal.
According to the Corplan Corrections Web site, the for-profit Texas company specializes in building detention centers for illegal immigrants, correctional facilities and prisons.
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bensonnews-sun.com.
Sick to my stomach wrote on Mar 10, 2010 9:01 AM:
" HOTEL FOR LAW BREAKERS.
Why not, we give them everything else for free. "
Why not, we give them everything else for free. "
John wrote on Mar 10, 2010 11:29 AM:
" This is better than the monorail in Springfield.
Why not build a monorail to Tucson instead? "
Why not build a monorail to Tucson instead? "
Phillp D wrote on Mar 10, 2010 1:53 PM:
" These guys sound like scam artists to me. Montana, New Mexico, Texas, they're all over trying to get cities to issue bonds to provide capital to fund thir detention centers -- which means money in their pockets. Cities put up money, yet, lo-and-behold, up in Montana, three years later, it's still empty. State senator exposed them in New Mexico...no gov't cotracts. All they have is slick talk, and our mayor seems to be falling for it! He says"we'd better build it or some other city will get the jobs. Uh, No, Mayor Fenn, other cities do not want tobuild it because they will have to borrow tons of money to do so and be on the hook with no certain benefit. These guys are looking for a sucker. "
John wrote on Mar 10, 2010 3:10 PM:
" "The center would be paid for with revenue bonds the city would issue. The revenue from the federal per diem for residents would pay off the bonds, as long as the center wins a contract from the federal government. That is not guaranteed."
This sounds like a 21 million dollar phishing trip at Benson's expense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If it sounds phishy, it probably is.
Build a monorail instead... "
This sounds like a 21 million dollar phishing trip at Benson's expense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If it sounds phishy, it probably is.
Build a monorail instead... "
San Pedro Codger wrote on Mar 10, 2010 3:13 PM:
" Do you even HAVE the internet? Ever hear of a thng called Google? For that matter, professional reportage?
How about common sense and a sense of smell?
One click to google ("Corplan Corrections problems" and this pops up.
The Rainmakers
Banking on private prisons in the fleecing of small-town America.
inthesetimes.com/article/5578/the_rainmakers
Read it and weep (or better yet be outraged) at the ineptitude and mendacity of your City Council it it s methods of even contemplating, much less seemingly rationalizing Benson's buying into this shameless scam. "
How about common sense and a sense of smell?
One click to google ("Corplan Corrections problems" and this pops up.
The Rainmakers
Banking on private prisons in the fleecing of small-town America.
inthesetimes.com/article/5578/the_rainmakers
Read it and weep (or better yet be outraged) at the ineptitude and mendacity of your City Council it it s methods of even contemplating, much less seemingly rationalizing Benson's buying into this shameless scam. "
Arizona wrote on Mar 10, 2010 4:37 PM:
" If this company checks out, what a wonderful opportunity for Benson to create 150 good paying jobs ($32,000 per year to start) and come to aid of stranded families from other countries. Sounds like a win-win for Benson! Currently these mothers and children may be separated or held in State Prisons. Let's hope Besnon has the opportunity to do some good for everyone concerned. Lets keep an open mind! "
Fenn Said wrote on Mar 10, 2010 5:34 PM:
" Fenn says a lot of things. He said that this is the only facility of it's kind. Is there a reason for that?
He also said that he is the only Mayor, developer builder in the entire state of AZ. Is there a reason for that?
He also said he sees that as breaking new ground. Maybe he needs glasses,.
Maybe he just needs to change his thinking and quit thinking about himself and think about this community
When others don't do what is obviously not a good idea, you might want to change your mind and check it out. "
He also said that he is the only Mayor, developer builder in the entire state of AZ. Is there a reason for that?
He also said he sees that as breaking new ground. Maybe he needs glasses,.
Maybe he just needs to change his thinking and quit thinking about himself and think about this community
When others don't do what is obviously not a good idea, you might want to change your mind and check it out. "
Christopher wrote on Mar 11, 2010 11:40 AM:
" Ya know, as tempting as this sounds, I think before any kind of decision is made, we should appeal to the Federal Government and ask about this. This could be an awesome addition to the community, or one big gigantic scam for a "dummy" corporation to heap large monetary benefits... "
Rainmaker Article wrote on Mar 11, 2010 3:15 PM:
" w w w . inthesetimes.com/article/5578/the_rainmakers "
Diane Viewing wrote on Mar 11, 2010 4:42 PM:
" This is a bad idea. Send them back where they came from; we simply cannot afford to pay for their comfort and convenience. "
Better Watch Out wrote on Mar 11, 2010 7:08 PM:
" Everyone should be very weary of this whole deal. Do some research on the Hardin, MT facility and see what went on there. We currently have an entire country going broke, state, and city begging to keep state money. What kind of business person would make a deal when there is only a hope to get a contract to fill the structure? This is only one small piece.
What if they bring in American Police Force to manage the facility? We should all wake up. This does not sound good at all from the very beginning. We had all better do some research to see if they should even step foot in Cochise County ever again. "
What if they bring in American Police Force to manage the facility? We should all wake up. This does not sound good at all from the very beginning. We had all better do some research to see if they should even step foot in Cochise County ever again. "
Forrest O. wrote on Mar 12, 2010 11:57 AM:
" Benson we have a Haliburton to thank for many of our nations problems but hey, Benson is not the last town with political fracture developing . Now then, it would help the optomistical if those with citizenship could sign off the water grid..... and let a free citizenry drill their own. Oh, and De-annexation is a suitable replacement for Detention Center Construction, Right ? "
casemn wrote on Mar 13, 2010 9:58 AM:
" There will have to be cable tv to get the spanish close caption. I'm glad Benson has an over flow of $$$ to keep the place a # 1 tourist attraction for illigals. "
cog wrote on Mar 14, 2010 12:31 PM:
" Why not build homes for the homeless who have lost their homes due to this recessiion and cannot afford to pay for their mortgages., and that are USA, citizens or who are here in the US legally. They are even suggesting to build suanas, and other lucratilve activities. Hey I'm even willling to give up my citizenship if I can have a rent free place to leave and enjoy all the luxuries,that they want to build into this.s. "
Tex wrote on Mar 10, 2010 12:50 AM: