Great Meadow Correctional Facility – one of Washington County’s major employers – is closing.

The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed to NewsChannel 13 that the facility is one of two facilities that will close.

The maximum-security prison currently has 480 inmates and a capacity of nearly 1,600, according to a statement from DOCSS.

Matt Keough, executive vice president of NYSCOPBA, tells Mark Mulholland that approximately 489 security personnel — corrections, officers, sergeants, and lieutenants are affected. He estimates that with civilian staff, the prison has a total of about 650 state employees.

Keough says employees were told late this morning that the prison will close permanently on Nov. 6.

All staff will be offered other positions, and the inmates will be absorbed at other facilities, DOCSS said.

Bob Henke, chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors, said Great Meadow is certainly one of the top 5 largest employers in the county — if not the largest.

“It’s a devastating impact,” he said.

In addition to the families that will be affected, there is also the spinoff effects such as loss of business for the local sandwich shops and hardware and building supply stores.

The county will coordinate with its workforce development and economic development staff to help people affected, according to Henke.

Henke said he is surprised by the news because he believes that the state put money into Great Meadow last year for maintenance projects.

The state budget authorized the closure of up to five prisons to save money and improve efficiency. After a review of operations, two were selected. The other one is Sullivan County Correctional Facility.

DOCCS said the decision was made based on a variety of factors including – decreasing population, physical infrastructure, program offerings and whether they can be relocated, security level and specialized medical and mental health services.  

In addition, the agency said correctional facilities continue to struggle to meet staffing demands – despite aggressive recruiting.

“The decision to close only two facilities was purposefully made to minimize the effect on staff, and at the same time attempt to close the gap on staffing shortages in our correctional facilities,” the statement went on to say.

The total incarcerated population in state facilities is 33,419, according to DOCs. This I 54% reduction in population since the department’s high of 72,773 in 1999.

A total of 24 DOCCS facilities have closed between 2011 and 2022 in response to declines in the incarcerated population.

The state currently has 44 correctional facilities and three separate support buildings.

The executive budget provides $80 million to maintain the aging facilities.

DOCCS will work with the Office of General Services and Empire State Development to redevelop and reuse the facilities.  

NewsChannel 13 will have more on this story on air and online.