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Washington County officials outline scope, limits of federal processing facility planned for Wright Road warehouse
Summary
County Administrator Michelle Gordon told commissioners the federal government purchased a Wright Road warehouse in Williamsport and plans a DHS/ICE processing facility; the county says it was not involved in site selection and lacks zoning authority over federally owned property. DHS told the county it will cover infrastructure needs and contracted KVG LLC for engineering work.
County Administrator Michelle Gordon told the Washington County Board of County Commissioners on April 14 that the federal government has purchased a warehouse at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport and plans to convert it into a Department of Homeland Security processing facility.
"Washington County government was not involved in the site selection process and was not consulted by the federal government or the private entity involved in the sales transaction," Gordon said, emphasizing that the property is now federal property and outside the county’s zoning authority.
Gordon summarized information DHS shared with county officials after an initial March meeting, saying the agency described the project as a processing or booking facility rather than a long‑term detention center. DHS told the county it expected about 500 beds in use on a typical day but had sized the facility for up to 1,500 beds; DHS also suggested the site could generate as many as 1,125 jobs.
County officials pressed DHS issues including humane treatment of detainees, impact on local medical and public‑safety resources, and water and wastewater capacity. Gordon said DHS has contracted with KVG LLC to perform engineering and construction work, including assessments of water and sewer needs, and that KVG would coordinate with the City of Hagerstown for water service and with Washington County for wastewater needs.
Gordon said DHS indicated the federal government would pay fees required for any additional water and wastewater capacity and would pay for required improvements to the Wright Road sewage pump station; KVG is also responsible for temporary solutions until those improvements are made. Gordon noted the county previously awarded a $51,500 contract to Rummel, Klepper & Kahl (RK&K) for a water and sewerage plan update, work that began Dec. 21, 2025.
The county provided additional details about detainee processing and oversight. Gordon said DHS described the facility as maintaining on‑site medical staffing and using independent third‑party audits monthly and annually to review standards for housing and medical care. On detention length, she said DHS estimated detainee stays generally would be about "3 to 7 days, after which they would be transferred to a detention center out of state for long‑term needs." The county also relayed DHS’s statement that the Federal Protective Service will provide site security.
Gordon said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a March 19 letter to the county’s Historic District Commission that included a finding of "no historic properties affected," a determination the county commission agreed with; she noted federal law requires DHS to notify local governments in such reviews and that the county cannot overrule federal determinations on federally owned property. She advised residents to direct questions to federal elected officials and said additional meetings had not been scheduled at the county level.
The board did not take formal action on the project during the meeting. Gordon said DHS will continue to coordinate through its contractor and that the county will provide information to residents as it becomes available.
What's next: Gordon said KVG and DHS plan additional technical work and that any formal contract negotiations will take place between attorneys for the county and DHS; no timeline for public hearings or follow‑up county meetings was announced.
