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Residents urge faster CoreCivic oversight, transparency at Leavenworth City Commission meeting
Summary
Speakers at the March 24 commission meeting said the city must use its special-use-permit tools now that CoreCivic operates a local facility, asking for rosters, a public oversight repository and quicker formation of an oversight board.
Residents pressed Leavenworth City commissioners on March 24 to speed up oversight of a newly opened CoreCivic facility and provide the public with more transparent compliance information.
During public comment, Susan Sievers said the city — which approved a CoreCivic special use permit — should immediately use its oversight authorities, including requesting rosters and other information allowed by the SUP. “Please don’t wait for the task force to get into the facility,” Sievers said, noting CoreCivic relocated people into the facility within two days of opening.
Dr. Daniel McIntosh echoed that call, urging the commission to form a community oversight board without delay and to create a public-facing repository of oversight actions. McIntosh asked the city to post a detailed, date-stamped list of oversight activities so residents can track frequency and substance of enforcement, saying a single hub would reduce constituent questions and better inform the public.
Why it matters: Both speakers framed the requests as a fulfillment of the city’s promise of oversight when it approved the SUP. They asked for active use of tools that the commission controls — not just statements of compliance — and asked staff to publish clear records of inspections, findings and follow-up.
What commissioners and staff said: Commission rules prevent responses during public comment; staff later took direction to pursue clearer public reporting and the matter remains a topic for follow-up. No formal commission action on CoreCivic oversight occurred at the meeting; speakers asked for a faster timeline to form the oversight board and to publish oversight data.
Next steps: The petition by residents places public pressure on the commission to clarify how it will exercise SUP authorities and to report oversight activity publicly. The commission can direct staff to return with specific proposals or timelines at a future meeting.
