SPRINGFIELD - The mayors of East Moline and Taylorville are raising questions about a plan to transfer inmates from the prison in Pontiac to the minimum-security lockups in their communities.

Mayor John Thodos said the East Moline Correctional Center was designed for minimum-security prisoners, not the 50 medium-security inmates who are expected to be moved there this week.

"It was not built for those standards," Thodos said of the prison, which is located on the edge of a residential area.

Taylorville Mayor Frank Mathon said he wants to hear more information about the planned transfer of 50 inmates to the gang-free minimum-security prison in his town, but acknowledged it is a concern.

"You hope it's handled correctly," Mathon said.

A top aide at the Illinois Department of Corrections, however, said inmates headed to the two prisons will be appropriate for the facilities.

"We are not taking medium-security inmates and placing them in a minimum-security facility. The inmates meet the criteria," said Sergio Molina, assistant to Corrections Director Roger Walker.

The planned transfer of inmates from Pontiac has become the latest dustup in the ongoing fight over Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to close the facility.

The governor has said closing Pontiac and moving most of its maximum-security prisoners to an unused prison in Thomson will save about $4 million.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union is fighting the transfers to East Moline and Taylorville, which it views as a precursor toward the overall closing of Pontiac.

A hearing seeking to block the transfers is set for 1 p.m. today at the Livingston County Courthouse.

Molina said inmates heading to East Moline will join a population of prisoners who are within five years of their release date. Similarly, those going to Taylorville have been screened to make sure they are not involved in gang activity.

"The inmates are going to be appropriate for the settings they are going into," Molina said.

"I would hope they would take that into consideration," Mathon said.

kurt.erickson@lee.net|789-0865