KOLKHORST CALLS ON GOVERNOR TO SHUT DOWN ‘FIVE OAKS’
District 18 State Senator Lois Kolkhorst is asking Texas Governor Greg Abbott to close down the Five Oaks Residential Treatment Center in New Ulm.
Kolkhorst, in a letter to Abbott, cited numerous concerns over security at the facility for troubled youths and the safety of the public.
Kolkhorst talked about the recent case of arson, involving a New Ulm area home and numerous runaways from the center.
The state senator says she recently attended a town hall meeting with citizens, state and local officials, local law enforcement and officials of Five Oaks, and says she was “alarmed” over the “comments by many residents that they were resorting to firearms to protect their property and family.”
Kolkhorst cited, what she calls: “…a long history of life and safety deficiencies, including a child’s death in 2010.” “A great danger to to public safety for both the children and surrounding residents.” “If swift action is not taken, I fear that lives are at risk.” And, 59 state licensure deficiencies in the past two years.
Kolkhorst also expressed concerns to the Governor over, “the dangers these children face outside the facility”, which she says is “counterintuitive” to protecting the children’s lives.
Kolkhorst went on to urge Governor Abbott to close down Five Oaks for what she says is, “putting profits above the safety of our children and their community.”
The Austin County Sheriff's Office sent out an email at 1:00 PM Wednesday (four hours after emailing out Kolkhorst's letter) saying that they were not authorized to release the information. KWHI has removed the copy of Kolkhorst's letter from this story.
Our property is in New Ulm. After the house fire, and the many incidents surrounding these children who constantly keep escaping and causing havoc in New Ulm, we have advised our tenants to keep a gun handy in case of break-ins or worse. The community is not happy with the situation. The facility does not control its students. Their should be fences with razor wire if they keep escaping and causing problems to the community. The sheriff’s department is being called out on a regular basis.
There are entities out there that want privatized facilities over the state run ones. Look at the State School-there are groups that think that all of the residents should be in community housing, little do they know or even care, that the state run facilities are better regulated and inspected where the private entities do not have such strict rules to follow.
As for the kids at Five Oaks or even the facility going up here, it all starts at the top! There seems to be lack of management and control. If the facility is built correctly and the correct management is brought in, the places can be run smoothly. Look at Miracle Farms-you never hear of issues with the kids out there! It is a faith based home away from home for troubled kids. Perhaps closing Five Oaks will send a message to the other facilities that they need to step up and do right by these kids!
My dad worked out there before he passed. The kids loved him and as far as I knew there wasn’t any problems but after he passed and I had another family member work out there. All kinds of things happens out there but God knows best. The kids are the main focus but I feel the administration needs a little shuffling because they know exactly what needs to be done.
Isn’t this facility owned by the same people building the new one in Brenham?
No
Maybe we should consider investigating the condition of facility,how its ran asva whole, activities involved, and the ones “caring” for these kids instead. To have that many runaways including a death says to me more than just troubled teens…
Was not aware of the violations. That’s not safe to have children exposed to that. Will will the children be placed? Encourage Govenor Abbott to do the right thing. Thanks for your support.
As a local citizen I am curious how many of these corporate for profit owned facilities there are in Texas. Do they have similar issues? Would be naive to think they do not. There is however, a state run facility in Giddings serving the same purpose. They do not have these issues. Perhaps the question to ask is, are the citizens taxpayers of this state being served well by these for profit operators? If not, who are they serving?
in another story here on K W H I Ms Kolkhorst received an award for her support of the state school and said “”Texas has an obligation to care for our must fragile citizens,” So what she is saying is the children that will attend five Oaks are not in that group , she is saying That these children through sometimes no fault of their own do not need some help and protection.. I believe that the children attending Five Oaks are also ” Fragile” and need Texas to care for them.
I suggest reading the article over again. In the article it states Kolkhorst quoted, “A great danger to public safety for both the children and surrounding residents.” “If swift action is not taken, I fear that lives are at risk.” She was also quoted in this article, “the dangers these children face outside the facility”, which she says is “counterintuitive” to protecting the children’s lives.
It sounds like she’s trying to get the facility shut down for the benefit of everyone including the kids inside. So Kolkhorst never said anything in regards that the children in this facility don’t need help or protection. Everything she quoted is saying that she wants the facility shut down not only to protect the children from being placed in danger, but to also protect the citizens as well from children that runaway such as the one that set a house on fire that escaped the facility. Not saying all the children would do that, but there was one that did. Also the children would more then likely be transferred to a different facility where they would probably receive better care from what it seems.
As always you have your own opinion and your interpretation of what is said just like anyone else. I’m just reading the article for what it is and what’s stated in it.
YOU read the article. Senator Kolkhorst is on the right track. These kids may well need protection from themselves. The public may need protection from some of the children. There were/are rules in place. Apparently the facility has a record of problems/violations of rules. This serves neither the children or the public. This is a money making facility. They need to stay in compliance or be shot down for everyone’s good/