Fort Lyon Correctional Facility Will Close

People in Las Animas aren?t happy with what the governor told them this morning. Governor John Hickenlooper told them he?s not changing his mind about closing the Fort Lyon Correctional Facility.

Many are worried about the economic impact the closure will have on Las Animas and Bent County.

“A lot of people are leaving, and they are breaking a lot of people’s hearts, mine included,” said Elanie Martinez.

Her son-in-law works at Fort Lyon Correctional Facility. He?s one of the 240 workers who will move because of the closure of the facility.

The three grandchildren she watched grow up won?t be just a short drive away.

“I don’t think he understands or knows what he is doing to the families of Las Animas,? said Martinez of Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper was in Las Animas on Tuesday morning. He said it?s due to budget cuts.

“As people transition, we’ve got to do everything we can to make sure they get transferred to other jobs as people retire in other places; that we are respectful of their families, the school year, etc. There are no easy solutions,” said Hickenlooper.

The buzz around town isn?t positive.

“I have not heard anyone say that they are happy about this,” said Martinez.

Many of the 240 workers will leave Las Animas to work in other state facilities, and they will be taking their families with them.

“We are going to have nobody, you know, nobody living here. It?s going to be a ghost town pretty soon,” said Martinez. The prison is set to close in April.

Hickenlooper is trying to find a new use for the facility.