Saturday afternoon, March 26, myself and some 600 people attended a community rally at Green High School voicing our objections to the closing of the Ohio River Valley Correctional Facility at Franklin Furnance.
Employees, office holders and community supporters spoke of the economic devastation to not only Franklin Furnace but much of Southern Ohio because of the recently announced decision by Ohio Governor John Kasich to close the facility by the end of the year.
Several residents of the New Boston community currently work at the ORV. The impact of this closure will cost 368 people throughout Southern Ohio their jobs. There has been no logical reason given by the governor for this closure. ORV is the most modern and secure youth facility in Ohio.
As has been pointed out to Governor Kasich in letters from community members and employees, the infrastructure of the community, the neighborhoods will decline due to families forced to relocate, vacant businesses and homes, home foreclosures and the inability to improve properties. Tax revenues will decline which will put additional strain on already stressed city, village and township budgets.
State Representative Terry Johnson appeared at the rally and highly opposed the closing. He commented that, "politics should have nothing to do with our presence today..", but with all due respect to Mr. Johnson, the Governor is going to have to prove that politics has nothing to do with this.
I urge all citizens of Scioto County to continue to write Governor Kasich's office, Representative Johnson, and all local leaders. Pressure must be kept on the governor's office to change this devastating decision for our area.
Mike Payton
3-27-2011
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