Murdock urges citizens to contact the governor

Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, is encouraging Oklahomans to contact Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office to stop the closure of the William S. Key Correctional Center in Fort Supply, slated to happen by the end of 2021.

The Department of Corrections issued a news release last week confirming the closure of the minimum-security men’s prison, which was opened in 1989.

“About 140 people are employed by the prison, so this closure would have an immediate impact on the economy of not only Fort Supply, but all of western Oklahoma,” Murdock said. “While these employees would have the option to transfer to another facility, this could mean families would have to move and uproot their lives for a closure that I don’t believe is necessary.”

Murdock said he’s urging all citizens across Senate District 27 to call or write to the governor and voice their support to keep the William S. Key Correctional Center open.

“It’s critical that we band together and let the governor know how important this facility is to Northwest Oklahoma,” Murdock said. “Oklahoma cannot move forward if we leave our rural communities behind. Rural Oklahoma is the backbone of our state, and it’s time we fight to ensure our communities can thrive with adequate workplaces and job opportunities for all. We are just now emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, and we cannot shut down main economic drivers for communities and expect to bounce back.”

To contact the governor, you can call 405-521-2342, visit https://www.governor.ok.gov/contact/leave-comment, or send letters to 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105.