Milwaukee council approves site for new state youth prison

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Milwaukee Common Council has approved building a new youth prison in the city. The new facility would replace the state’s troubled youth prison outside Irma.

Officials in Gov. Tony Evers’ administration announced Tuesday they had picked a site in an industrial area of the city for the facility. A bill Evers signed earlier this year which provides $42 million for the project required the council to sign off on a site.

The council wasn’t scheduled to meet until September, but council President Jose Perez called a special meeting Friday to consider the site. The council voted 11-1 to approve the project.

A number of steps remain before construction could begin, including public hearings and city zoning approval.

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