Sen. Marklein Disappointed in Unfair Treatment
of Boscobel Prison 

Madison, WI – Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) made the following statement on the decision of Governor Tony Evers’ Department of Corrections Secretary-Designee Kevin Carr to provide $5 more per hour at every maximum security prison except for Boscobel:
 
“I am extremely disappointed about the decision made by Governor Evers’ Secretary-Designee Kevin Carr to provide $5 more per hour to Correctional Officers in every maximum security prison except for the Boscobel Prison. This is a terribly unfair and inequitable decision that punishes the Boscobel Prison for doing a good job of recruitment and retention.
 
Governor Evers’ Secretary-Designee Carr said that the pilot-program they rolled out yesterday is for prisons that have problems filling vacancies.  The leadership and staff at the Boscobel Prison have done a good job of filling positions and retaining their staff. But now these same staff are being left behind their colleagues at other institutions. The $5 per hour increase gives all other Correctional Officers the potential to earn $10,000 more per year for doing the exact same job.
 
I would not be surprised if the Boscobel Prison suddenly develops a vacancy problem now that Governor Evers’ administration has created a strong incentive for Correctional Officers to transfer to other institutions.  If they stay, the Officers will be doing the same difficult job as their colleagues for much less compensation.
 
This move is unjust and will definitely impact morale among the hard working folks at the Boscobel Prison. I have met with every shift and the leadership of the prison throughout the last several years. These public servants deserve our respect and fair treatment.
 
Representative Travis Tranel and I sent a letter to Secretary-Designee Carr to request his reconsideration of this decision. We anticipate that he will be amending the pilot to include Boscobel in short order to manage a new vacancy problem that they have created.”