Franklin County Quorum Court Opposes Prison

by Vernon McDaniel

In a lengthy meeting Thursday, Nov. 21, Franklin County’s Quorum Court unanimously passed a resolution opposing a 3,000-bed state prison in the Vesta community north of Charleston.

About 50 persons from the area where the prison would be built attended the meeting at the Ozark courthouse and presented reasons why they think it should not be placed in their area.

County Judge Rickey Bowman said he and others recently met with the governor in Little Rock and presented to her reasons against the projected location.

“She and others there were not listening,” the judge told the audience.

After hearing that persons in the area had formed a coalition, Bowman reacted by telling them to “not stop fighting.” He added there is always a possibility that a legal expert could find problems with the plan to build what would be the state’s largest prison there.

Sheriff Johnny Crocker also opposed the prison location by pointing out he would lose deputies because the state pays better than does the county…

To read the full story see the Nov. 27 edition of The Graphic, found online and in businesses throughout Johnson and Franklin counties.