SUNBURY -- Business owners are talking about what a change in location of the new Northumberland County Prison will mean for them after county commissioners announced the new plan on Tuesday.
People who own businesses in the area where the Northumberland County prison was supposed to be built have mixed reactions now that the facility will not be in Sunbury.
Some are afraid their taxes will go up and everyone is wondering what will now be built at the former Celotex site.
The former Celotex site on Susquehanna Avenue in Sunbury is where the new Northumberland County Prison was supposed to be built. But since commissioners voted to buy a juvenile detention facility near Shamokin, the prison will not be built in Sunbury.
In a unanimous vote, commissioners decided to buy Northwestern Academy in Coal Township for $6.5 million. The private juvenile detention facility will be closing in June.
"It sounds like it's a good move right now. The previous administration thought they were doing the right thing so it remains to be seen, said sub shop owner Greg Morton.
Newswatch 16 spoke to business owners in Sunbury to see what they think now that the jail will no longer be in Sunbury.
"I was kind of concerned," said Brenda Reichenbach at Tony's Custom Tailor Shop. "So it's not going to be here. How's the taxes? Will there be an increase? How much are we going to have to pay?"
Reichenbach says her taxes went up after the prison fire, but Commissioner Kym Best says taxes would go up in Northumberland County if the prison was built at the Sunbury site. The cost of square footage was higher than originally estimated.
"That made that project not obtainable, just not financially doable in my opinion. Not such that I would want to raise taxes again," said Commissioner Kym Best, (D) Northumberland County.
According to commissioners, Northumberland County has already invested around $4 million into the Sunbury property. The county hopes to get most of that money back by selling it and there are already some interested buyers.
"Anything that would be a tax base, something that would bring some more jobs to the city, some well-paying jobs," Morton added.
Reichenbach would like to see a center for children.
"Keep the kids busy here in town so they're not getting in trouble. I think that would be really nice."
Former Commissioner Vinny Clausi is the head of the county authority in charge of the old prison building. He says he plans to put that location up for sale.
Commissioners hope to open the new facility near Shamokin by the end of this year.
