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Sen. Marklein Uninvited to Department of Corrections Listening Session at Boscobel Prison 


Madison, WI – Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) made the following statement in response to Governor Tony Evers’ Department of Corrections Secretary-Designee Kevin Carr's decision to uninvite him to a listening session at the Boscobel Prison today. 

Sen. Marklein was contacted by constituents, who are Correctional Officers, to attend the listening session that was hosted by the Department of Corrections to address staff concerns about a pay increase pilot program that was announced last week. 

Sen. Marklein had planned to attend, at the request of his constituents. However, the Department decided that he was not allowed because it was meant to be an internal meeting.

Sen. Marklein made the following statement in response to the uninvitation:

“I had planned to join the constituents I serve who are employed by the Boscobel Prison for a listening session with the Department of Corrections today. Unfortunately, Governor Evers' Secretary-Designee determined that I was not invited to an internal meeting even though several of my constituents asked me to be there. Despite the Governor's pledge for transparency, I was uninvited.

I continue to be disappointed in the department's decision to give every other maximum security prison a temporary $5 per hour increase in their wages. The staff at Boscobel should not be punished for doing a good job. And I strongly believe that the department is creating a vacancy problem by picking winners and losers among comparable institutions.

As a member of the Joint Finance Committee,  I will continue to work on the overall compensation plan for the Department of Corrections. This has always been the plan."