STAR rumors addressed by commissioners

FRANKLIN FURNACE — Community misinformation about the move of individuals from the Athens campus of STAR Community Justice Center to the Franklin Furnace facility has caused the Scioto County commissioners to speak out.

According to Commissioner Bryan Davis, there were 19 individuals moved from the Athens facility to Franklin Furnace—not the dozens or even hundreds discussed online.

“Number 1, your commissioners did not know this was going on, (STAR is a) total state-run facility. We’re talkign about 19 individuals that were moved from Athens to our STAR Community Justice Center in Franklin Furnace,” he said. “Nineteen. That is the equivalent of a heavy week. That’s how many they take in in less than a month. These are not large numbers.”

STAR Community Justice Center is a community based correctional facility intended to promote public safety and reduce prison commitments. It has operations in Athens as well as Franklin Furnace and had recently done remodeling in the latter. It allowed more residential space for offender housing.

“Last Spring, STAR Community Justice Center completed refurbishment of the Liberation Complex on the Scioto County Campus. In doing this, it gave STAR four additional housing units. With this additional flexibility, alternate uses fo rthe spaces, including the Athens County Campus, began to be explored,” states a release from STAR. “It was found that it would be more beneficial if STAR would consolidate operations to one campus in Scioto County.”

STAR cited fiscal responsibility and less duplication of services as two reasons for the consolidation.

“STAR had discussions with the necessary parties and began moving the operation entirely to the Scioto County Campus)” on Jan. 20, reads the releae. “As of today, STAR has moved the entire residential population tot he Scioto County Campus and will work to finalize the move of the entire operation over the next few months.”

According to Davis, positions were offered to staff in Athens to move to the Franklin Furnace campus. Some lived closer to Franklin Furnace and have accepted those offers.

“I think some of the rumors that this is hundreds of criminals coming into the community, that’s overblown,” Davis said. “I don’t know the exact backgrounds.”

As far as Franklin Furnace taking a hit when it comes to the operation of the Franklin Furnace site as it had when the Ohio River Valley Juvenile Correctional Facility operation closed, Davis says that isn’t going to happen in this case.

“What if they had decided to close Franklin Furnace and move everybody to Athens? We’ve been victims of that before when they shut down ORV — 300 jobs lost. Let’s be cautious in how we judge this too harshly,” Davis said. “Don’t be alarmed, I think we’re OK.”

Davis suggested the director have a conversation with the Green Township trustees about the matter.

“A lot of people are not happy with the proliferation of rehabs in the area and this is a hotbed issue,” Davis said. “I also understand the volunteer fire department and the EMS is often put under duress because of calls from those facilities. My understanding is that has been abated.”

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