The director of the Iowa Department of Corrections says his agency is spending tens-of-thousands of dollars a month on an old prison that no longer houses inmates. Jerry Bartruff is hoping sections of the former Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison can be put to use by the community, but until then, the upkeep will cost the state money. When the facility was full of prisoners earlier this year, the bill for its basic maintenance was around $60,000 a month….
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In August, more than 500 inmates were moved out of the 176-year-old prison and into a new state penitentiary about two miles away. Bartruff addressed the future of the old facility this week during a budget hearing at the statehouse…..
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Bartruff said he met with the mayor of Fort Madison to discuss the matter on Monday. A nonprofit group has also been formed that’s interested in turning parts of the old prison into a tourist attraction.
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The old Iowa State Penitentiary was originally built in 1839. Bartruff said sections of the building will need to be demolished.