MARENISCO — This month, the state announced that it would close the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco in Gogebic County on Dec. 1. Last week, state Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet) asked state Auditor General Doug Ringler to audit that decision and yesterday. Rep. Dianda received confirmation the Auditor General intended to investigate. In response, Rep. Dianda issued the following statement:
“I want to thank Auditor General Ringler for his quick response to my request and for agreeing to conduct an audit to determine if documentation exists to support MDOC’s decision to close Ojibway Correctional Facility. We know that closing Ojibway could result in Gogebic County losing more than $700,000 in state school aid, the local hospital losing more than $1 million in broken contracts, and corrections workers being forced to drive more than 200 miles a day to work in the nearest correctional facility if they can even transfer there. No one understands how MDOC could consider the economic impact, as required by the state budget, and still decide to close this facility. With the livelihood of hundreds of U.P. families hanging in the balance, I am glad that we will now have another audit to determine if MDOC is following the rules concerning prison closure decisions.”