HANCOCK - Although Gov. Jennifer Granholm is taking action to reduce government costs, including closing prisons and prison camps, State Rep. Mike Lahti, D-Hancock, is disappointed so many Upper Peninsula employees may lose their jobs because of her actions.

Granholm announced Friday three prisons, including Camp Kitwen in Painesdale, would be closed by the end of the year. Other U.P. facilities slated for closure include Hiawatha Correctional Facility in Kincheloe, Camp Ottawa in Iron River and Camp Cusino in Shingleton.

The closings will result in layoffs, though it was unclear how many. The Department of Corrections will try to move as many of the 1,072 affected employees as possible into open jobs at other facilities.

Lahti said each prison camp has 45 to 50 employees, and although there will be lay-offs as a result of the closings, he doesn't know if any Kitwen employees will be able to transfer to other prison facilities.

"There probably isn't a lot of space (in other prisons for laid-off employees)," he said.

In a written statement on the Michigan Department of Corrections Web site, MDOC Director Patricia Caruso said MDOC remains "very cognizant" of the difficulties the closures will cause employees and the communities in which these facilities are located.

"We have carefully considered several alternatives," Caruso said.

"This plan allows the greatest flexibility to place employees in vacant positions near their current worksites while maintaining the ability to safely operate the prisons and protect Michigan's citizens."

Caruso said her department is working with the Office of State Employer, Michigan Corrections Organization and other unions to minimize the impact on staff.

The closings and lay-offs are part of Granholm's effort to save $120 million in the 2009-10 MDOC budget.

Lahti said the prison closings will have a greater impact on the small U.P. communities which depend on them for employment and supporting local businesses.

"The trouble with closing prisons in the U.P. is people have to move away (to get other prison jobs)," he said.

Lahti said although he doesn't know if it will happen, some Camp Kitwen employees may be able to transfer to Baraga Maximum Correctional Facility.

For an article in Tuesday's Gazette, Lahti said he suggested to Granholm and Caruso that rather than close U.P. prisons, it would be better to close prisons in communities with more than one prison, such as Jackson, but that idea was rejected.

"It didn't fit what they wanted to do," he said.

Lahti said in years past when the economy in the state was good, residents were in favor of building prisons in the U.P.

"We needed the jobs then," he said. "We still need the jobs."

He doesn't know what Granholm intends to do with the closed prisons, Lahti said, but the facility in Manistique was closed two years ago and it's still sitting empty.

Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com.