Yankton Federal Prison Camp marks 20 years
Posted: Sunday, August 03, 2008
YANKTON, S.D. (AP) -- The Yankton Federal Prison Camp marked its 20th anniversary with a special program Friday afternoon at the camp, the former Yankton College campus.
After it opened, the prison housed about 500 inmates. After some upgrades, it now holds more than 800 prisoners. Most of the inmates are nonviolent drug offenders.
The prison camp employs 119 people and has an annual salary budget of $8.6 million.
Mayor Dan Specht said he's proud of the prison campus being such a central part of the Yankton community.
Many challenges had to be overcome after the Federal Bureau of Prisons bought 14 major buildings spread over 30 acres for $3.1 million in May 1988, said Sara Revell, who started as a case manager in Yankton and is now a warden at a Colorado prison.
"Readying the institution for inmates was an adventure. I drove a U-Haul (truck) on occasion. You may see some chunks missing out of buildings. That's probably me," she said during the ceremony.
"We had unique jobs in this activation, unlike any I've been involved with since -- cleaning chalkboards that still had lessons from years past written on them, disposing of science projects from Forbes Hall, ridding dorm dressers of students' clothing and cleaning up the bookstore. We repaired an observatory and a clock. There were asbestos abatement projects, along with bird, bat, rat and other critter abatement projects.
"We worked hard, and we had a great time. When you have a common mission, some great South Dakota kids and a few transplants, you can't lose, and you're bound to have fun."
Revell said the Yankton staff members were "the hardest-working people I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with. I was here only 13 months. It remains, however, the most memorable duty station and the one I always, without question, refer to when I am inevitably asked, 'What has been your favorite?"'
"Of all the places I worked ... the best staff I had was here," added Stephen Pontesso, the first warden at Yankton.
After it opened, the prison housed about 500 inmates. After some upgrades, it now holds more than 800 prisoners. Most of the inmates are nonviolent drug offenders.
The prison camp employs 119 people and has an annual salary budget of $8.6 million.
Mayor Dan Specht said he's proud of the prison campus being such a central part of the Yankton community.
Many challenges had to be overcome after the Federal Bureau of Prisons bought 14 major buildings spread over 30 acres for $3.1 million in May 1988, said Sara Revell, who started as a case manager in Yankton and is now a warden at a Colorado prison.
"Readying the institution for inmates was an adventure. I drove a U-Haul (truck) on occasion. You may see some chunks missing out of buildings. That's probably me," she said during the ceremony.
"We had unique jobs in this activation, unlike any I've been involved with since -- cleaning chalkboards that still had lessons from years past written on them, disposing of science projects from Forbes Hall, ridding dorm dressers of students' clothing and cleaning up the bookstore. We repaired an observatory and a clock. There were asbestos abatement projects, along with bird, bat, rat and other critter abatement projects.
"We worked hard, and we had a great time. When you have a common mission, some great South Dakota kids and a few transplants, you can't lose, and you're bound to have fun."
Revell said the Yankton staff members were "the hardest-working people I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with. I was here only 13 months. It remains, however, the most memorable duty station and the one I always, without question, refer to when I am inevitably asked, 'What has been your favorite?"'
"Of all the places I worked ... the best staff I had was here," added Stephen Pontesso, the first warden at Yankton.
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