By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network

KEWANEE – While prison reform supporters say the announced closure of a juvenile detention center is a good step to addressing Illinois’ corrections problems, leaders in Kewanee expect to feel it from multiple directions.

Friday’s announced closure of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Kewanee was applauded by prison reform groups as a positive step in reforming Illinois’ juvenile system, but Kewanee Mayor Steve Looney says he’s still trying to absorb the announcement.

“Until we get a final resolution, I …” Looney paused, “it’s just a huge impact now.”

Looney said he was called by a state senator the evening before the announcement.

Lynn Sutton, a Henry County board member and Chairman of the county Economic Development Partnership, was notified of the announcement when the media called for comment. Sutton said a closure would work against their plan for growth.

Kewanee City Manager Gary Bradley said with the slated closure for this summer it’s still unclear what will happen.

“If it’s mothballed it will be a big impact,” Bradley said, “If we can get another use for it, it will mitigate that.”

Bradley also said the closure will impact more than just the economy, there could also be a brain drain.

Because many of the jobs at the IDJJ facility require a bachelor’s degree Bradley said “with that gone, that will have a negative impact on the demographics of our workforce.”

“Those employees are our friends, our family, our neighbors, and it will be difficult for them,” Bradley said.

Mayor Looney also had concerns about the affected employees. “You know we care about them as individuals and as citizens of Kewanee,” Looney said.

There are around 200 employees expected to be affected by the planned closure slated for this summer.

The ACLU says the closure is a positive step in addressing concerns from a consent decree about juvenile justice reform.