There’s a tinge of irony in having prison inmates build cells they might one day occupy. The project is under way at the state’s medium-security Fremont prison in Cañon City. The cells will be installed at the new Colorado State Penitentiary, where the most violent prisoners are to be housed starting in 2009.
Many of the inmates constructing the steel cells have never held a steady job and have committed all manner of serious crimes. But by the time they finish building 948 cells, they will be certified welders, said Andy Klinkerman, manufacturing manager for Colorado Correctional Industries, a unit of the Department of Corrections.
The $12.5 million project will employ 120 inmates at its peak. Low-cost inmate labor is saving the state a minimum of 5 percent off the normal bid price, DOC officials say. The entire prison will cost more than $100 million.
The 8×13-foot cells will have 3/16-inch-thick steel plate walls with a 2-inch channel reinforcement. In other words, Klinkerman said, “It’s solid steel. It’s impenetrable.”
Another DOC official noted that “there is some irony” in the possibility that inmates assigned to the project will one day admire their handiwork from the inside out. “It could very well happen,” the official said.
Salazar standing firm
The number of Democratic senators still supporting Joe Lieberman’s independent bid for the Senate has dwindled to three: Colorado’s Ken Salazar, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mark Pryor of Arkansas. Hawaii’s Daniel Inouye pulled his support last week citing Lieberman’s alleged criticism of the Democratic Party.
Other U.S. Senate Democrats decided to support Ned Lamont after he defeated Lieberman in the August Connecticut primary. Lieberman is running in the November general election as an independent.
Salazar is a centrist who often sees eye to eye with Lieberman on Senate issues, and he says he’ll stand by Lieberman now. Salazar and Lieberman, along with Inouye, Nelson and Pryor, are among the “Gang of 14,” also called the Mod Squad, the moderate group of senators from both parties who formed in 2005 to avoid bringing the Senate to a halt during debate over President Bush’s judicial nominations.
Modeling Joe Sixpack
Personnel officials who oversee the state vehicle fleet planned to seek another emergency supplemental this month for fuel costs, but then changed their mind. Joint Budget Committee analyst Viktor Bojilov said the state had withdrawn its request.
It’s just as well. JBC chairman Bernie Buescher was none too pleased. The JBC approved more than $8.5 million in fuel costs for the fiscal year, enough to chalk up 69.6 million miles – the same as last year. In June, state officials sought a $522,000 emergency supplemental, citing higher gasoline prices. The JBC allocated $224,144 and warned state employees, except for the state patrol, to be more thrifty with state spending.
The JBC holds its first end-of-summer hearings Sept. 20. Buescher said that despite high fuel prices, state employees ought to be frugal when traveling on official business. “State employees need to be extra careful about racking up miles on state vehicles,” Buescher said. “Like Joe Sixpack, we should make sure we’re as stingy as possible with the miles being driven.”
Ritter Turning 50
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter has traveled across Colorado for the past 15 months, and Monday he was to complete the set and visit his 64th county.
No. 64: Lake County (Leadville).
Ritter celebrates the big 5-0 on Wednesday. The former Denver prosecutor said he is planning a low-key celebration, wrapped in a day that includes some campaigning. Among other things, he will hold a conference call with a few hundred Coloradans gathered at house parties around the state.
Julia C. Martinez (jmartinez@denverpost.com) is a member of The Denver Post editorial board.
