Housing Contract to Bring Inmates, 120 Jobs

A contract for the housing of state inmates at the new Steven's Correctional Facility in McDowell County should be finalized by early next month, according to county officials.

The county received a $572,000 check from the state Department of Corrections last week to be used as a start-up fund for the facility, County Commission President Gordon Lambert said.

“That basically pays our people for three months, or going back through November,” Lambert said. “This is a big project for us to be able to employ basically 120 more people. It's just an exciting time for us in the county.”

When the contract is finalized, the state is expected to begin transporting about 40 inmates a week to the facility until it reached capacity, warden Betty Hardin said.

“Everything looks good,” Hardin said. “We are just waiting on the contract.”

Wardin said Swope Construction Company is currently completing the final “punch list,” or review of the structure.

Lambert said the state fire marshal also is expected to complete final testing at the facility as early as this week. Another company also is currently finalizing work on the electronic locks at the prison, Lambert said.

“Swope has done a great job,” county Economic Development Coordinator Rachel Lester said. “We just can't say enough good things about them.”