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Federal Bureau of Prisons Facility in Berlin NH, due to open in 2010
Like it or not, the correctional industry is going to play a part in the future of Berlin NH’s economy for years to come. With approximately 200 (including myself), employed at the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility and another 340 jobs planned for the Federal Bureau of Prisons Berlin NH facility, corrections jobs will be the #1 industry in town. Combined payrolls will be over $40 million annually, easily trumping the payrolls of the next 3 largest employers in Berlin NH combined. Nobody is contesting the fact that these jobs will help stabilize the local economy…. but at what cost? Lets take a look at some pros and cons of our prison based economy:
PRO: Jobs.
In total, 540 jobs combined….starting salaries in the $35,000-$40,000 range, with averages in the $45,000-$50,000 range. All jobs currently will have great state and federal benefits, including health insurance, retirement etc…. (Although that may be at risk, as the state of NH is looking to possibly privitize the state prison, more on that later….)
CON: 2000+ inmates in the region will bring many inmate’s families to live closer to their loved-ones, possibly bringing with it more welfare, poverty and crime.
While this is known to be true…(ask anyone who works in the state prison), state officials continue to deny that this actually happens. I have personally spoken to visitors in the state prison who have moved here to be closer to their inmate loved-ones….. (last person I spoke with told me she moved from Laconia area because she was afraid of seeing moose on the way up north.) How many of these families are there? 10?, 20?, 50?…. not exactly sure……
When the federal prison opens, will it make the problem worse? After all, many of these inmates will be from far away, out of state places, making it even more difficult for families to visit….. will that bring more familes to Berlin for the sole purpose of being nearby?
There is no question that the added jobs will be beneficial to the area, hopefully stabilizing real estate prices, adding precious spendable dollars to the local economy, helping local businesses and their families. The only question: Is it worth the sacrifice? Many people are against Laidlaw because of what it brings to the center of town, but these prisons may be bringing much worse and scattering it all over town……
I’d love to hear your thoughts……
If the community has section 8 housing or very low income housing available the families will come. It depends on what already exists there. Milan Dummer stark Errol will not be affected by these families. Berlin is already inhabitated by the lower income class. If you have it they will come!
Berlin is already know as a low income city to people as far away as Florida! It all started when we got an influx of slumlords, The situation is already here and here to stay it’s up to people like you and me paying the price.
Many families do not move to be closer to be able to visit. They drive in on the weekend and then they leave. So don’t worry about that if any move in it is a very small number and you will not know that they live there. On to the economic benefits of BOP staff living in Berlin. Berlin should have had in the works, housing, medical and shopping on the agenda for improvement. BOP staff looking to move there will be looking for 3 bedroom home with attached garage, a decent yard and good schools. If the schools aren’t real good you can almost forget them moving to Berlin. BOP staff will drive up to 2 hours one way to come to work. If the town of Berlin has not prepared for these they need to hop on it and get the ball rolling so in the future when new BOP staff move in Berlin will look real good to them. Even though the salaries have been posted people tend to raise the rent and raise the price of their house they are selling. Really those salaries are true by the time taxes, retirement, insurance and any other things is taken out of their check there is not a whole lot left to spend. BOP staff are good people and love to be envolved in the community, so welcome them with open arms you will be happy you did. Many will come from different parts of the country and their ways will be very different, some will talk with a VERY southern drawl and others will have accents that you may not have heard before, so take it in stride. Thank you for reading this and I hope that it helps.