University of Virginia Library

Officials Cancel Site Plans
For Proposed State Prisons

Nottoway's Board of
Supervisors learned Tuesday
that the county is out of the
picture as a site for the state's
proposed 200-man maximum
security prison, according to
the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The board then took action
to keep Nottoway on the
state's list of potential sites for
future facilities.

M. E. Hawley of the state
department of Welfare and
Institutions and a member of
the two-man site selection
committee for the prison,
appeared before the supervisors
Tuesday at their request and
told them it was too late for
Nottoway to be considered. He
said the state has already
narrowed its list to seven
counties, and within another
week probably will decide
which locality will get the
prison.

The supervisors in August,
had voted 3 to 2 not to seek
the prison. The question came
up again Tuesday because
Commonwealth's Attorney
George S. Cummins ruled that
the August meeting was not
legally called, and the vote
could not stand.

After questioning Hawley
about the prison, the board
learned it could take action to
remain on the state list for
future facilities.

Hawley explained that three
more facilities are planned, two
of which would be minimum
security prisons.

Two members of the board
changed their early votes
against the facility when they
were assured by Hawley that
the county would not be
obligated to approve a prison
at a later date. The board
voted, 4 to 1 to ask that
Nottoway County be kept on
the state list.

Last March, the U.S.
Justice Department hired a
University of Illinois
committee to study
the Green Springs prison site.