Parents, student speak out on inmate work release program

When it came to the topic concerning the City of Monticello’s 28E agreement with the Anamosa State Penitentiary, some parents of the Monticello School District urged the Monticello City Council to reconsider their thinking. 

The city entered into a 28E agreement to utilize low-level-threat inmates to perform work release tasks for the city. 

Lynn Dotterweich and Angie Fairley were both present at the Oct. 7 city council meeting. Several Monticello High School students were also present, with senior Mya Boffeli addressing the council as well. 

Fairley said she’s concerned with the idea that inmates could be working across the street from the high school at Oakwood Cemetery without a guard on duty monitoring them. She said she spoke with City Administrator Doug Herman on the topic, and was told city staff would provide observation, but not 24/7. 

“What’s your procedure if something happens across from the high school?” asked Fairley, indicating an inmate could escape off the job. She said with the construction of the new middle school, students have to park across the street near the cemetery, where inmates would be working. 

“Kids are coming and going,” continued Fairley, noting that students leave the building to head to the Kirkwood facility. 

“I urge you to work out the kinks before you start this program,” she said. 

Dotterweich agreed. 

“Why risk something happening to one of our kids?” she said. 

Dotterweich acknowledged that extra help is needed for upkeep of the cemetery, but said this route is not the way to go. 

“Next year we’ll have the middle school and more kids,” added Dotterweich. “Parents are really concerned; this doesn’t feel safe at all. Stop and think before your proceed.” 

Council member Dave Goedken said those who are against the program due to heightened fears are being misled via social media. 

“This misinformation is a response to social media,” he said. “This program is widely used.” 

“And widely successful,” added Council member Tom Yeoman. 

Herman did note that city staff could only be out-of-sight of the inmates for up to a half hour. They do have to check in with the prison twice a day. 

“No doubt people could walk away,” Herman noted. “But a lot of cities utilize prison labor, and in their experiences, it’s all been positive.” Herman did reach out to several area cities for their feedback on the program. 

The inmates the city would have oversight of would not be violent criminals. They would be those who are close to parole, working to be rehabilitated back into society. 

“They’ve earned this opportunity,” said Herman. 

“They’re on good behavior.” 

Goedken asked if these parents are so concerned, where was the concern when the school district had to hire a school resource officer (SRO)? 

“This adds to extra risk at the high school,” said Fairley. 

Yeoman said this program is a cost-effective alternative the city considered for extra help with city departments (Public Works, Cemetery). He said the city used the work release program in years past; this is not something new. 

“We need to do something at our cemetery,” said Goedken, referring to the continued complaints over the summer. 

Mayor Brian Wolken said the bulk of the work the inmates would do is over the summer, when school is not in session. 

“We have talked a fair amount about this; we didn’t just bring this up,” Wolken said. “This shows how little people pay attention to council meetings.” 

Wolken said he does not share the same concerns as expressed. 

Boffeli, speaking for herself and classmates in the audience, said students are not concerned about inmates working across from the high school. 

“This is a good opportunity for some people,” she said of giving inmates a second chance. 

Boffeli said there are security cameras at the school and people coming and going all the time, that if an inmate ran off the job, someone would see something. 

“When we leave (the high school) for Kirkwood, we all leave together,” added Boffeli. “We’re not by ourselves. It’s hard to kidnap a student when someone’s going to see it. I don’t think our lives are in danger. If someone is going to escape, they’re not going to come to the high school.” 

“We share everyone’s concerns. We’ve asked a lot of questions about this,” said Yeoman. After talking to several residents, Yeoman said it’s helped to put their minds at ease. 

“Offenders get streamlined back into society,” he said. “The last thing they want to do is screw that up and have to go back (to prison).”

In other city business: 

• The council held a public hearing on the sale of city property off Diamond Drive near the Jaycee/Kleinow fields. Judy Tuetken, an interested bidder, addressed the council about her intentions in buying the property to build a new one-story home. Gaylen Kray questioned why the city needed to sell the property at all. He also asked whether Diamond Drive could even be considered “street frontage” for a new home, per city code. 

In the end, the council voted to sell approximately 50-feet-by-213-feet to Alice and Thomas Brighton, for roughly $18,750. Their original bid of $30,000 was for the entire lot. Tuetken bid $21,300. The Brightons don’t have any building plans for the property.