MEMORANDUM

TO: Timothy Navarre, Assembly President

Members, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

FROM: Colette G. Thompson, Borough Attorney

Jeff Sinz, Finance Director

Jack Brown, Business Development Manager

DATE: June 5, 2001

SUBJECT: Ordinance 2001-21, steering committee for private prison project

At this point in the prison project, it seems appropriate to establish a steering committee. As proposed, the steering committee will consist of eleven residents appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the borough assembly. The role of the steering committee will be to evaluate the benefits, risks, and concerns of a privately operated prison and to provide input regarding the design, construction, and operation of the prison facility.

The steering committee will consist of eleven representatives from the following categories:

One from law enforcement;

One from Kenai Peninsula College;

One from a native organization;

One from a chamber of commerce;

One from the construction industry;

Three from the public;

One from Kenai Peninsula Borough administration;

One from Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly; and

One from Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.

One of the major criticisms of the prison project is that it has been fast-tracked with only limited public input. The prison steering committee will create an opportunity for the public to participate in the evaluation of the benefits and concerns of a private prison. The committee should be credible and represent the major stakeholders in the community.

The benefits of establishing a steering committee are:

� To create ownership of the project with a resident-based group;

� To serve as a forum for concerns to be stated and addressed;

� To demonstrate to the public that the borough wants its input;

� The public (and media) will begin to focus on problem solving rather than fault finding;

� Respected residents will have an opportunity to publicly support or oppose the prison project;

� The committee will assist the administration in determining how to make the negative aspects of the project manageable.

Historically, on several occasions the borough administration and assembly were at an impasse with the public regarding controversial issues. The successful resolutions to these difficulties were made possible by using the "working group" or "steering committee" process. Two examples are the Kenai River Habitat Protection Zone and the Community Correctional Residential Centers (halfway houses). The working groups or steering committees for these two highly controversial issues were successful in creating favorable public support. It is hoped this process will similarly benefit the prison project.