The Mason Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday night to approve two contracts with private prison operator CoreCivic to reopen the West Tennessee Detention Facility, ending a meeting marked by passionate arguments, loud protests, and concerns about transparency — including a possible violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act.
The meeting was moved from its usual location at the police department to the bay of the fire department. The space was not air-conditioned, and the large overhead doors were closed.
Mayor Eddie Noeman used a karaoke machine in place of a sound system, its small speakers competing with the roar of industrial fans and the steady beat of drums from protestors outside.
Chants of “Shut it down!” and “No ICE in Mason!” drifted in and out over the course of the evening, often drowning out speakers. At times, aldermen leaned toward the microphone and repeated themselves to be heard.
The chaos and disruption made hearing the proceedings difficult.
The votes
On the first contract, mayor Eddie Noeman, vice mayor Reynaldo Givhan and alderwomen Alethea Harris and Carolyn Catron voted in favor; alderwomen Mary Mason and Virginia Rivers opposed; and alderwoman Trowanna Broadnax abstained, making the tally 4-2-1.
The second vote was more difficult to hear in the room.
The karaoke microphone popped as votes were called, and a loud cheer from outside briefly interrupted the roll call.
Town Attorney Nathan Bicks confirmed afterward that it passed 3-2-2. Noeman, Harris, and Catron voted in favor; Mason and Givhan abstained; Rivers and Broadnax opposed.
Givhan’s vote was barely audible, with Rivers confirming to him he could abstain.
Under Robert’s Rules of Order, abstentions are not counted in the total vote, so the second contract passed with a simple majority of the five votes cast, which was confusing to attendees.
Open Meetings Act concerns
During the first vote, Givhan stepped outside through a door guarded by law enforcement, followed by a couple of alderwomen and several CoreCivic personnel.
Members of the press, including one who attempted to follow, were physically prevented from doing so.
The Leader has reported the incident to the state comptroller’s office and the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government for investigation.
The Tennessee Lookout reported that Givhan later said he left to pray and get some air, however that cannot be verified.
One of the alderwomen who left the table confirmed to The Leader there was discussion about the vote taking place.
Mayor cites immigrant roots, economic benefits
Opening the meeting, Noeman, an Egyptian immigrant who has run businesses in Mason for 27 years, spoke at length about his personal history and why he believes reopening the facility will benefit the town. His voice occasionally wavered as it carried over the hum of fans and the muffled chants outside.
“I’m an immigrant. I came to this country with nothing,” he said. “I worked hard for everything I have, and I know what it means to be given a chance. This town gave me an opportunity, and I want the same for our people. “It’s nothing to do with anybody, with immigrant or anybody. I’m immigrant. At the end of the day … we try to take care about our citizen, about city. It’s nothing personal about any immigrant. We open arm for everybody. Maybe you agree, disagree, but … I’m looking for the benefit of the town of Mason.”
He called the detention facility a long-standing part of Mason’s economy before its closure.
“This facility has been here for decades,” Noeman said. “We have the opportunity to reopen it and put our people back to work. That means 237 jobs, and it means stability for this town. It means bringing in revenue that we can use to make Mason better.”
He urged the board to see the decision as a practical step forward, not a political one.
“This is not about Washington politics. This is about Mason. We cannot allow our town to keep struggling when we have a way to move forward,” he said.
Rivers: ‘All money isn’t good money’
Alderwoman Virginia Rivers gave one of the meeting’s most impassioned speeches against the contracts, standing close to the mic as the noise outside swelled.
“All money isn’t good money,” Rivers said. “We’re talking about people’s lives here, not just numbers on a spreadsheet.Entering a contract with CoreCivic and ICE would make our city complicit in the abusive treatment of immigrants. This is against my Christianity that says, love thou neighbor as thyself.”
She criticized the lack of time to review the agreements.
“We got these contracts yesterday. Nearly 200 pages. How can we, in good faith, vote on something this important without time to read, understand, and ask questions?”
Rivers also questioned whether the town should partner with a private prison company at all.
“We need to think about what kind of town we want to be. Do we want to be known for locking people up, or do we want to build something better for our children?”
Opposition dominates public comment
The majority of speakers during the public comment period opposed the contracts. The noise of drums outside punctuated their remarks, and at times applause or murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.
Tondala Hayward, a Fayette County pastor, told the board, “When we talk about opportunity, we have to ask: opportunity for who? This is an opportunity for CoreCivic to profit, not for Mason to prosper in a way that builds our community’s soul.”
Tom Emerson, a six-year Navy veteran and former Mason volunteer firefighter, said the contracts were all about money, not about helping the citizens “in any way.”
Another speaker told the board, “CoreCivic is not going to bring these jobs to Mason people. They’re going to bring their own people in. You are making a decision that will hurt families.”
Support for reopening
Supporters, though fewer in number, framed the facility as a path to economic revival.
“We need the jobs, we need the income,” Harris said. “This will help our people.”
A resident who identified himself as a former employee of the detention center told the board, “I worked there for years. It was steady work with good benefits. That’s what this town needs right now.”
Supporters said the facility was vital for economic recovery.
“We need the jobs,” one man said. “We can’t keep losing people because there’s no work here.”
A business owner added, “It’s not just the jobs at the facility. It’s the money that will be spent in our stores, our restaurants, our gas stations.
Contract details
The agreements involve two linked contracts:
• An Intergovernmental Service Agreement between Mason and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house immigration detainees.
• A separate contract with CoreCivic to operate the facility on Mason’s behalf.
Under the ICE contract, Mason acts as the contracting entity, with CoreCivic running all operations, from staffing to compliance with ICE standards. The town will receive $1 per detainee per day as an administrative fee. Mason cannot change or terminate the ICE contract without CoreCivic’s consent.
Bicks told the board the delay in providing the contracts was due to ongoing negotiations and last-minute changes. He explained that the town’s role is primarily administrative, with CoreCivic assuming operational responsibility and liability for the facility. He also addressed payment and termination clauses, noting that the agreements contain specific provisions outlining when and how either party can end the arrangement.
History of the facility and political climate
City leaders said the West Tennessee Detention Facility operated for about 35 years under contract with the U.S. Marshals Service, housing pre-trial federal detainees, including immigration detainees. It closed during the Biden administration following a 2021 executive order directing the Justice Department not to renew contracts with privately-operated criminal detention facilities.
The debate in Mason comes amid heightened national focus on immigration enforcement, as the president’s recent mass deportation actions have put ICE detention back in the political spotlight. Supporters say reopening the facility will help the local economy, while opponents say it aligns Mason with a detention system they view as inhumane.
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