Grassroots Group Challenges Franklin County Prison Plan Ahead of Capitol Hearing
(00:00:09) When Adam Watson helped launch Gravel & Grit, the mission was simple: give Franklin County residents a voice in the fast-moving plan to build a new state prison in their backyard. Less than a year later, the group has secured a rare legislative hearing in Little Rock—one that could put top officials under oath.
Watson said the journey from shock to organized opposition has been both exhausting and eye-opening. “This project was advanced without any legislative approval,” he said. “We just want the facts on the record” (00:01:01).
What began as a local fight has resonated far beyond Franklin County. Gravel & Grit collected 2,258 petition signatures—not just from Arkansas, but from supporters across the country and even in seven other nations (00:02:40).
“To the (legislative) committee’s credit, they agreed to conduct the hearing before we even submitted the petition,” Watson noted, describing JPR’s response. “That told us we were on to something that deserved more scrutiny.”
So what’s at stake? For Gravel & Grit, the central issue is site selection. Watson said from day one, the process was backward—decisions made first, questions asked later. “If step one is a mistake, every additional step gets harder,” he explained. “The most shocking thing is that we’re still sitting here talking about it” (00:08:00).
Their complaint outlines four areas of concern: past missteps in how the project was advanced, ongoing issues with transparency, financial risks to taxpayers, and broader questions about how the state manages large-scale prison construction (00:04:03).
The list of speakers includes state officials who appeared at a Franklin County town hall last November, just days after the prison was announced.
Back then, emotions ran high. Residents described feeling blindsided and dismissed. Ten months later, Watson believes the facts—not just feelings—are on his side.
Some critics have painted opponents as soft on crime. Watson rejects that as a political talking point. “We understand the need for prisons,” he said. “We’re questioning this specific proposed prison and the plan” (00:09:30). He added that Gravel & Grit has stuck to one mantra: facts over politics. “If you listen to the facts of the matter and you listen to the story, there’s no way you can be for this project” (00:11:10).
The upcoming hearing carries added weight for many after the sudden passing of Senator Gary Stubblefield, a staunch ally who championed their cause in the legislature.
“There’s definitely a vacuum when you lose somebody as larger than life as Gary,” Watson reflected (00:11:57). “We’re trying so hard not to let our grief over his loss get in the way of the important work. If anything, it makes it more pressing to get the story right.”
The hearing begins at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Capitol’s Big Mac A room. Watson hopes for a strong turnout, both in person and online via the legislature’s livestream.
Gravel and Grit has submitted a detailed 15-page timeline and more than 100 exhibits to frame the discussion (00:13:27). “We just want to see our government take a step back, have some reasonable forethought about this project, and stop the spending before we’re $75 million in the hole” (00:09:01).
For Franklin County residents and their allies, tomorrow’s hearing represents more than a procedural step. It’s a chance to finally put their concerns on the official record—and to test whether facts can outweigh politics.
ICYMI: See all of our coverage regarding the proposed prison here: franklin county prison
