State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, will host five community forums for residents to provide input on the potential effects of the proposed closures of Rockview state prison in Centre County and Quehanna Boot Camp in Clearfield County.
The listening sessions will allow Takac to hear about specific impacts from community members “so he may better tell their stories” to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, he said in a release on Tuesday.
The following forums will each be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.:
- Friday, March 21 — Milesburg Community Center, 101 Mill Street, Milesburg.
- Thursday, March 27 — Howard United Methodist Church, 144 Main Street, Howard.
- Monday, March 31 — Benner Township Municipal Building, 1224 Buffalo Run Road, Bellefonte.
- Wednesday, April 2 — Schlow Public Library, 211 S. Allen St., State College.
- Monday, April 7 — Snow Shoe Township Building, 268 Old Side Road, Clarence.
“For generations, Rockview and Quehanna have provided good-paying union jobs with benefits to over 900 of our hardworking friends, neighbors and loved ones,” Takac said. “And they, in turn, have supported our local economy and communities. I understand the importance of saving money, but any decision with that kind of potential impact must be a discussion, not a dictate. That’s why I’m holding districtwide listening forums on these proposed shutdowns to hear directly from those who would be affected by a shutdown of one or both of these facilities.”
Residents who want to provide input but cannot attend one of the forums can call Takac’s office at 814-308-0569 or email RepTakac@pahouse.net.
Feedback can be submitted directly to the Department of Corrections by emailing ra-crdocclose@pa.gov or by leaving a voicemail at 888-316-8950.
Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal unveiled on Feb. 3 recommended the closure of two state correctional facilities and two community corrections centers, which has administration says would save $10 million in the next fiscal year and $100 million in the long term.
Rockview and Quehanna, along with state-run community centers in Berks and Greene, were identified as the recommended closures in a report from a Department of Corrections steering committee on Feb. 10.
Rockview’s 658 staff members will be offered equivalent positions at one of five state correctional institutions located within 67 miles, according to the DOC, a list that includes the adjoining Benner Township state prison. About 20% of the current Rockview staff is currently eligible for retirement or will be during the potential closure timeline.
Quehanna’s 234 staff members also will receive offers for equivalent positions within 67 miles
Chief among the reasons for recommending the closure of Rockview is the estimated $74 million in repairs and upgrades needed at the 110-year-old prison over the next five years, as well as it being ill-equipped to accommodate disabled individuals, housing unit issues and the ability to transfer its 2,148 inmates and specialty programs to other facilities, according to the steering committee.
The Shapiro administration says a years-long decline in the statewide inmate population and steady staffing vacancies make facility closures feasible.
Prisoner advocates have said that Rockview’s conditions are a problem for inmates and staff, and that if done properly closure may be in the best interest of both.
But elected officials and many community members have voiced concerns about the impacts on staff members and their families as well as the local economic effects on communities from the loss of hundreds of jobs.
“If these facilities are closed, it will have a negative impact on the staff, their families but also our local communities and economy,” Centre County Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Higgins said earlier this month.
“There are some intense conversations that need to happen as we move forward because not only do we have the lives of [employees’] families, but the economic impact to this area will be significant,” Commissioner Steve Dershem said. He added that there would also need to be some “very, very, very serious conversations” about what would be done with Rockview’s 5,755 acres of land, much of it is rolling farmlands stretching out between the State College and Bellefonte areas that Dershem called “some of the largest and most pristine farmland in our community.”
State law mandates a three-month period for public feedback before state prison closures can move forward. Public hearings will be held in Centre and Clearfield counties during that period, with dates and locations to be announced.
