April 16, 2024

New warden appointed to Newton prison

By Newton Daily

Kristine K. Weitzell was named Friday by the Iowa Board of Corrections as the new warden for the Newton Correctional Facility, moving from the Fort Dodge facility. She replaces Terry Mapes, who retired in late February. (Submitted photo)

The Iowa Board of Corrections appointed a new warden to the Newton Correctional Facility on Friday morning at its regular meeting.

Kristine K. Weitzell, who had only been the warden of the Fort Dodge Correction Facility since early September, was appointed by the board Friday to run the Newton medium- and minimum-security sites. The move comes about one month after the retirement of the top two Newton prison officials, warden Terry Mapes and deputy warden Jill Dursky.

Weitzell has extensive administrative corrections experience with proven leadership in the management, supervision and treatment of adult offenders, according to DOC spokesperson Fred Scaletta. She was the superintendent of the Clarinda Correctional Facility for about 18 months before being moved to Fort Dodge last fall, when James McKinney was moved from Fort Dodge to fill the vacant warden position at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville.

Friday's announcements did not include any mention of Newton's deputy director position.  Weitzell will continue to focus on the department’s mission to advance successful offender reentry to protect the public, staff and offenders from victimization, Scaletta said.

The minimum-security east campus of the Newton facility, known as the Newton Correctional Release Center, is typically one of the last stops for inmates serving medium-length or short sentences and who are approaching their release dates, with off-site work detail privileges and programming such as Puppy Jake service-dog training.

Mapes and Dursky announced their resignations shortly before a pair of recent inmate escapes at Newton. A Jan. 23 escape by a single inmate, along with a pair of inmates getting away on Feb. 27.

These escapes led to a public statement and subsequent rally by the union that represents corrections employees, calling for higher staffing levels around the state.

Both Mapes and Dursky said their retirements were timed to spend more time with family. According to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services,

Weitzell made about $131,000 in fiscal 2015. She has also been involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics for several years.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com