By CLARA CARTRETTE
News Editor

News about the now-under-construction Tabor City Correctional Center gets better and better.

What started as a proposed 1,000-bed prison became a 1,500-bed facility plan, and now it appears that bed capacity will be increased to 1,752 beds, if the General Assembly approves Gov. Mike Easley’s proposed capital and operating budget for the facility.

Sen. R.C. Soles Jr., who was instrumental in getting the prison located in this area, sent a memorandum late last week stating that Easley’s recommended budget for the prison calls for an additional 252-bed dormitory-style unit. This minimum custody unit will be located outside the main perimeter of the new prison. The governor has budgeted $13.8 for the unit, to be funded with general obligation bonds.

The initial prison plan, for 1,000 inmates at a cost of $11,228,475, would create about 410 employee positions, according to Soles’ memorandum. That unit is expected to be completed in 2008. The 500 additional beds would bump the cost to $30,414,097, increase employee poitions to 514 and would be completed in 2009-10.

There was no projected number of employees listed for the minimum custody unit, but the starting date would be July 2009, completion date is set for December 2011 and inmate occupancy is scheduled for April 2012.

A minimum custody unit would house non-violent inmates who are allowed to do community service projects that would benefit the area.

Soles said this morning that Tabor City Town Manager Al Leonard had requested that the Department of Corrections (DOC) consider a minimum custody unit, and DOC had requested that the governor include the unit in his budget.

“The development seems to be on the right road, and economic benefit is just beginning to be felt (because of construction),” Soles said, noting that Tabor City, Fair Bluff and Chadbourn are beginning to feel the economic impact.

“I encourage people to attend the job fairs planned,” Soles said. “Working conditions will be reasonably good and the starting salary for correction officers will be about $25,000.”