Harrisburg not taking the money on state prison sewer proposal

Strong opposition in Harrisburg, Lincoln County against new prison leads to no vote on contract offer

HARRISBURG – A packed gymnasium erupted in applause Tuesday night after the Harrisburg City Council voted to reject a contract with the state to offer sewer service to a proposed new state men’s prison.

That prison would be located a few miles south of town between Harrisburg and Canton. And while those rural, mostly farm residences around the proposed site aren’t homes to city of Harrisburg voters, plenty of Harrisburg voters showed up to also oppose not just the contract, but the entire concept of putting the new 1,500 inmate facility in the middle of the state’s fastest growing county.

Two dozen people testified during the public hearing – almost all of them opposing the contract and prison. They had a litany of reasons for doing so – with some pointing to recent remarks by Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken that the South Dakota State Penitentiary contributing to crime and homelessness in Sioux Falls. Several speakers said they didn’t want that for Harrisburg and Canton.

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