Friday, September 13, 2019

Schuylkill County Prison Board - Monthly Meeting Notes - September 2019

On Wednesday, September 11th, 2019, the Schuylkill County Prison Board held their monthly meeting.


Prison Board President Judge William Baldwin presided over the meeting.

The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the minutes from the previous meeting.

Prison Warden Eugene Berdanier provided a "State of the Prison" Report for the month of August which included the following:

Revenue for August totaling $7,836.26
 - Room and Board from the Work Release Program - $4,068
 - Social Security - $3,600
 - Interest Bearing Account - $168.26

Expenditures for August totaling $674,087.95
 - Salaries/Wages - $262,446.28
 - Overtime - $21,591.42
 - In Lieu of Benefits - $420.00
 - Taxable Meal Reimbursements - $10.17
 - Materials and Supplies - $24,416.99
 - Clothing & Bedding - $6,325.72
 - Groceries - $35,051.65
 - Cleaning Supplies - $6,653.66
 - Fuel, Electric, Water, and Sewer - $14,088.37
 - Temporary Housing - $189,413.51
 - Professional Services - $87,526.45
 - Travel - $69.60
 - Other - $2,604.90
 - Non Payroll Expenses - $1,422.72
 - Maintenance & Repairs - $15,296.81
 - Maintenance Agreements - $6,749.70

Various projects were reported including a crack in the entrance ramp that needs to be repaired, the door to a walk in freezer needs to be repaired, a macadam project at the front gate was completed, heaters and air conditioning units were repaired or serviced, and some welding projects were completed.

In regards to population, the peak census of the prison was 272, averaging 255  total for the month.  198 Male, 57 Female.

Three Corrections Officers are currently on extended medical leave.

Two Part-Time Officers attended Department of Correction Basic Training at the Academy.

The prison currently has five part time positions for Correction Officers.

Warden Berdanier also gave a report on a presentation he was given on "TextBehind".  The company provides an inmate mail management system that will eliminate contraband from incoming inmate mail.

In short, all inmate mail is sent to TextBehind, the mail is checked, and scanned, and the copy of the e-mail is sent to the prisoner.  The prison board had questions in regards "legal" mail, which Berdanier said that legal mail is not sent through Textbehind.  Berdanier is in the process of reviewing the other services that the company provides.  A cost was also not discussed.