‘ Now Hiring!’

‘ Now Hiring!’

Transition to West Memphis underway for ACC facility

news@theeveningtimes.com

Arkansas Department of Community Correction has started the move in process at the former Crittenden Regional Hospital and plans to start hiring soon.

“We’re over there already an have started to clean up the building,” said Dina Tyler, Deputy Director for Public Affairs.

Governor Asa Hutchinson recently signed off on allowing ACC to move its community corrections center in Pine Bluff to West Memphis.

The county will be leasing the former hospital building to ACC to house a rehabilitation treatment center that will hold 350 non-violent female inmates, mostly drug offenders.

The move will also bring 138 new jobs to West Memphis which will range from corrections officers, counseling professionals, medical and other staff.

About ten to 15 percent of the current workers in Pine Bluff are expected to take transfers at the new location.

Tyler said they will be advertising for corrections officers, program advisors, and administrative assistants in the coming weeks.

“We’ve already had people stop by asking about those jobs,” Tyler said. “So that’s a good sign that the community is interested in what we are doing there.”

The facility will have a $6 million payroll with salaries ranging from $25,000 to $52,000.

As part of the lease agreement ACC will be responsible for making all necessary renovations and repairs to the building.

The agency has budgeted $650,000 for repairs.

County Judge Woody Wheeless said ACC already has a crew at the building making repairs.

“They’re really on the fast track,” Wheeless said.

“They probably have 30 people from all of their maintenance facilities over there now working on that building to do what needs to get done to get it into shape.”

The building has been empty since August 2014 when the hospital closed and declared bankruptcy.

Wheeless said ACC will be bringing up a work crew from its Texarkana facility to get the grounds in shape.

“There are spots where the weeds have grown up probably three or four feet high,” Wheeless said. “So the males will be doing a lot of that work until they can get it to where the females can take over. I think it is going to look really nice.”

A roofer has also been out to evaluate the roof, Wheeless said.

“They are being really proactive in getting that facility back in shape,” Wheeless said. “They are really pushing hard.”

ACC is expected to be able to move in to the building in about 60 days.

“Maybe I should run off,” said the grandmother.

“What kind of grades do you make?”

“B’s and C’s.”

“How many D’s?”

“One.”

“Do you have kids?”

“No.”

“$75 plus court costs on the careless driving. $45 plus court costs on one child restraint.”

By Mark Randall