Posted: Aug. 19, 2009

Now that California is no longer interested, Michigan’s prison in Standish is open to federal inmates — other than detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba — or those from other states, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday.

State Corrections Director Patricia Caruso has lobbied the head of federal prisons to use the maximum-security facility in Standish for federal prisoners, said Russ Marlan, spokesman for the Department of Corrections.

And Granholm said she’ll continue to solicit Pennsylvania — and other states — to send their excess prisoners to Michigan.

Meanwhile, the possible transfer of Guantánamo detainees to the Standish prison continued to roil political waters. Opponents of a so-called Gitmo North plan to voice their objections Thursday at a town hall meeting in Standish, where the looming closure of the prison and loss of 280 jobs would be a sharp economic blow.

Granholm ordered the prison closed in July to cut costs, but it has been kept open with hopes the state could entice other states to send prisoners, thereby bringing in money and maintaining those local jobs.

But California prison officials told Carsuso on Monday the Standish prison would be too expensive and lacked the needed medical facilities.

Federal officials met with Standish residents last week after they toured the prison. Although transferring the detainees from Guantánamo would keep the prison open, they would be guarded by military personnel, not Michigan corrections officers. Still, it would be worthwhile, said Standish Mayor Kevin King.

“The economic stimulus that would bring to our area would be immeasurable,” King said.

But the notion of housing the Guantánamo prisoners, and possibly exposing the community to terrorist attacks, continued to stir concerns.

Granholm said Tuesday that federal officials haven’t answered safety concerns over housing the detainees.

“I’m worried more about the bigger implications of having a facility like that in Michigan,” she said.

Contact CHRIS CHRISTOFF: 517-372-8660 or cchristoff@freepress.com