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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM - Meeting Minutes - 5-P-94 - 5-18-1994 - PRISON BOARD472 WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Washington County Prison Board Washington, Pa., May 18, 1994 The monthly meeting of the Washington County Prison Board was held in the 7th Floor Conference Room, Courthouse Square Office Builiding, Washington, Pennsylvania, with the following members being present: Commissioners Mascara, Petrosky and Ford; Judge Gladden; Controller Belcastro; and District Attorney Pettit. Absent being: Sheriff Secreet. Also being present: Warden Pelzer; Linda Hands, Clerk - Steno II; Kathy Emery, Director of Employee Relations; Dave Voorhis, representative of the National Institute of Corrections; Joe Smydo, Observer -Reporter; and Jim Jefferson, WJPA. Chairman Petrosky introduced to the Board Dave Voorhis, representative of the National Institute of Corrections, who would later in the meeting give a presentation with regards to the creation of a transitional team and the moving of inmates to the new justice center once it is completed. Chairman Petrosky called the meeting to order at approximately 11:35 a.m. and asked if there were any corrections, additions or omissions to Minute No. 4-P-94, each member having received a copy. Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded by Mr. Mascara, that Minute No. 4-P-94 be approved as written. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by stating "Aye". (District Attorney Pettit entered the meeting.) Bills: Controller Belcastro presented to the Board for their consideration and approval the bills for the month of April, 1994, in the amount of $44,132.52. Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded by Mr. Mascara, approving the bills for the month of April, 1994, as per above. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by stating "Aye". (See list of bills attached hereto and made a part hereof.) (Judge Gladden entered the meeting.) Warden's Report: Warden Pelzer presented to the Board the following information: Income from other units for the maintenance of prisoners for April: None Total Work Release and Weekenders: Work Release were billed $2,700.00 Weekenders were billed $2,540.00 Amount received $4,225.00 $50.00 was turned over to the Clerk of Courts for collection. Status of prisoners confined at the end of April, 1994: MALES FEMALES TOTAL Sentenced prisoners 64 7 71 Weekend prisoners 28 3 31 Work Release 15 0 15 473 MINUTE BOOK PRISON BOARD WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA - _ Home Detention Program 15 3 18 Unsentenced prisoners Awaiting sentencing 24 2 26 Awaiting trial 73 5 78 TOTAL PRISONERS 219 20 239 No. of inmates doctor saw 166 19 185 New commitments doctor saw 87 Repeat patients doctor saw 98 Sheriff transported 25 inmates Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded by Mr. Mascara, to approve the Warden's Report as per above. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by stating "Aye". Chairman Petrosky entertained a motion to suspend with any "Old Business" or "New Business" in order to hear the presentation of Mr. Voorhis. Moved by Mr. Mascara, seconded by Mr. Belcastro, to suspend with any "Old Business" or "New Business" as per above. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by stating "Aye". Special Order of Business: Mr. Dave Voorhis stated that he is visiting Washington County in response to Warden Pelzer's request to the National Institute of Corrections and to help assist in any way to make the transition and activation of the new justice center smooth. He went on to explain the goals of his visit which were (1) to discuss the complexities of coordinating a jail construction project and the transition process which includes moving both staff and inmates from an old jail into a new jail; and (2) the responsibilities and roles that people play in that process and the need for committing a project team to this process. Mr. Voorhis also stressed the importance of constant communication among and between the participants about the transition process and elements of the project management. Mr. Voorhis gave a brief history of the NIC and noted that it provides technical assistance and advice at no cost to the County and it has no regulatory command over the County. However, some of the services that are available following his visit include sending out a team of consultants to train the transition team that the County has put together in terms of how to do the transition process. He recommended that for a facility of Washington County's size five or six people should be assigned to a transition team for 18 months prior to the move. He went on to explain the complexities of this transition process. Mr. Voorhis gave some examples of what can happen when officials open a new jail too soon. He also stated that the County may have to hire additional staff because of the fact that it is a different operation and that means the County may have to train new staff in addition to training the existing staff. He pointed out that the move should be gradual and not try to do everything in one day. He also cautioned the Board to expect some resistance from the current staff relative to the change in terms of new philosophies, new design and new operations. He stated that in order to lessen the impact, the staff should understand and be oriented to know what to expect. 474 MINUTE B O O K PRISON BOARD WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Mr. Voorhis suggested that the best way to evaluate the new justice center would be to move a group of low -security inmates first; and if all goes well, the remainder of the inmates could be moved from the current jail. He also suggested that the County pick a group of staff members that the County can train on how to do a transition project and provide them with a minimum amount of resources to support making that planning process and to communicate well with them. Chairman Petrosky questioned Mr. Voorhis as to composition of the transition team. Mr. Voorhis stated that the team should be comprised from the jail staff and should be representative of both upper and lower management as well as line staff. Some discussion was held on this matter. (Mr. Pettit left the meeting.) Mr. Voorhis recommended that monthly meetings be held for the transition team with the key people that are going to be impacted to give updates because they are going to be bringing a whole list of problems and issues to a Board that needs to make decisions. He explained that generally the transition team members are not decision makers. They are the workers, the people that will bring issues to the Prison Board or whatever kind of a group that is overviewing it. He envisions the transition team as being a group of leaders who work with people that are not full time. In other words, he recommends that a transition team be put together for food services, one for security, one for support services, one for programs and that each of those teams are made up of people who work in the facility or work in different areas within the county and that the transition team, the five or six people, that each of those are the leaders of these other teams and they have meetings with the administrative group or they meet with the security group and they solve the problems related to those issues and then they come together as one group to solve intermingling problems or interfacing problems and then they report to some kind of a board, which could be the Prison Board or a specialized group that may be established. Chairman Petrosky questioned Mr. Voorhis on the suggested amount of lead time for the transition process. Mr. Voorhis stated that it needs eighteen (18) months, but noted that he has seen it done in twelve (12) months where there was an 18-member transition team devoted to the project. Mr. Mascara questioned Mr. Voorhis as to the number of people assigned from the NIC to assist the County in developing a strategy for the transition team on an ongoing basis. Mr. Voorhis pointed out that the NIC cannot be of service on an on -going basis because it is servicing 4000 jails throughout the United States and only has a staff of ten. But what the NIC can do is send out a team to provide a week's worth of training for the transition team on what their job is and what they have to do and how to do it. Mr. Mascara asked if other counties have used a consultant to work with the team or someone to be here for a number of months to work with the transition team. Mr. Voorhis stated that often counties will contract with someone to monitor the transition. Mr. Voorhis went on to explain the different levels of involvement of an outside contracted consultant. Mr. Mascara questioned if the NIC has a list of recommended consultants that the Board could consider hiring. He stated that his own personal opinion is that the Board should contract with a consultant who would have hands-on responsibility for a smooth transition. 475 MINUTE BOOK PRISON BOARD WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Discussion followed concerning the time schedule for training staff and the optimum level of phasing -in the inmates and staff as it relates to the cost of operating two facilities. Mr. Voorhis recommended that key staff members should now be visiting other direct supervision facilities in the area to observe their operations. (judge Gladden and Commissioner Ford left the meeting.) Chairman Petrosky stated that he concurs with Mr. Mascara in terms of the possibility of hiring a consultant to come in to assist the transition team. He stated that he feels the Board will rely heavily on the technical expertise that the NIC provides as well as the expertise of the Warden in terms of the jail environment. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately 11:55 a.m. THE FOREGOING MINUTES SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL: 1994 ATTEST: SECRETARY 1 1 1