Gowanda and state officials spoke Tuesday afternoon next to the Gowanda Correctional Facility to question the decision to close the prison. Photo by Anthony Dolce

GOWANDA — On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced the impending closure of three correctional facilities in New York state, including one in Gowanda. On Tuesday, state officials gathered outside the Gowanda Correctional Facility to question the decision of the March 31 closure.

“To do this at this time of year, to all of these families and businesses is just terrible,” said State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, R-Elma. “We are calling on the governor to reverse this decision.”

The sentiment from Gallivan was shared by State Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay.

“The fact we’re standing out in the cold today is appropriate,” Borrello said, “because the governor has left all of the people at this facility out in the cold.”

Borrello claimed this week’s announcement was just the latest in a series of questionable leadership moves from Cuomo.

“The governor feels he can reduce crime by closing prisons,” Borrello said. “This is another poor decision putting politics over people. These folks behind me are another example of how we need better leadership.”

State Assemblyman Joseph Giglio, R-Gowanda, also spoke during Tuesday’s event outside the prison.

“I’m tired of this,” Giglio said. “There hasn’t been one law passed to benefit the people. What about the employees? Their families? Their kids? They don’t matter? We’re going to fight this.”

Senate Republican leader Rob Ortt followed Giglio, expressing his sympathies for the roughly 600 employees who will be impacted by the closure.

“These people do a job most people don’t understand or want to do,” Ortt said. “They probably get far less than they deserve.”

Ortt proceeded to question the timing of the announcement.

“This isn’t a mistake,” Ortt said. “This is by design. They didn’t want to do this before the election. They wanted this to get buried in the Christmas press. But we will not bury this.”

Ortt added that the three prisons set to be closed, including the Gowanda Correctional Facility, make 20 prisons closed, and that the goal is about the state’s bottom line, not keeping the citizens safe.

Gowanda Mayor David Smith took the podium next, unzipping his jacket to reveal his Gowanda sweatshirt, in what was a display of appreciation for how hard the community has worked.

“Gowanda is only as strong as the community,” Smith said. “This place is built off the backs of hard workers.”

Smith then said that it’s his job to fight for the people of the town, meaning keeping the facility open. He then pleaded to Cuomo to reverse the decision.

“We were elected to fight for the people who elected us,” Smith said. “They need to think about small towns. Gov. Cumor, you were once a small town politician, think about what you are doing.”

Mark DeBurgomaster, New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association western region vice president, spoke about the uncertainty of what will happen should the decision to close the facility stand.

“At this time, numbers and availability of other facilities are being crunched,” DeBurgomaster said. “There isn’t a lot of wiggle room for people.”

“We’ve been living with this since the budget was put in place,” DeBurgomaster continued. “They have unlimited power to close any facility. Roughly 820 inmates have to be dispersed. Don’t ask me about the logic of this because there isn’t any.”