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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM - Meeting Minutes - 12-P-94 - 12-14-1994 - PRISON BOARDMINUTE BOOK PRISON BOARD WASHINGTON COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA 1 1 Minute No. 12-P-94 Washington County Prison Board Washington, Pa., December 14, 1994 The monthly meeting of the Washington County Prison Board was held in the Washington County Jail, Washington, Pennsylvania, with the following members being present: Commissioners Petrosky and Ford; Controller Belcastro; District Attorney Pettit and Sheriff Secreet. Absent being: Judge Gilmore and Commissioner Mascara. Also being present: Warden Pelzer; Linda Hands, Clerk -Steno II; and Jim Jefferson, WJPA. Chairman Petrosky called the meeting to order at approximately 11:35 a.m. Annroval of Minutes: Commissioner Petrosky asked if there were any corrections, additions or omissions to Minute No. 11-P-94, each member having received a copy. Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded by Mr. Pettit, that Minute No. 11-P-94 be approved as written. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by stating "Aye". Warden's Report: Warden Pelzer presented to the Board the following information: Income from other units for the maintenance of prisoners for November.1994: No monies Total Work Release and Weekenders: Work Release were billed $3,095.00 Weekenders were billed $1,560.00 Amount received $4,413.00 No monies were turned over to the Clerk of Courts for collection. Status of vrisoners confined at the end of November,1994: MALES FEMALES Sentenced prisoners 55 2 Weekend prisoners 25 3 Work Release 22 2 Home Detention Program Unsentenced prisoners Awaiting sentencing Awaiting trial TOTAL PRISONERS No. of inmates doctor saw New commitments doctor saw Repeat patients doctor saw Sheriff transported 18 inmates 11 4 TOTAL 57 28 24 15 13 1 14 69 11 80 195 23 218 155 21 176 49 127 Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded by Mr. Secreet, to approve the Warden's Report as per above. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by stating "Aye". A89 MINUTE BOOK PRISON BOARD WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Bills: Controller Belcastro presented to the Board for their consideration and approval the bills for the month of November, 1994, in the amount of $36,311.16. Commissioner Ford questioned Warden Pelzer on the current status of the budget as it relates to the overall yearly budget. Warden Pelzer noted that at this time the budget is close but is not over. Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded Mr. Pettit, approving the bills for the month of November, 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.) Old Business: Chairman Petrosky presented to the Board members a proposed Resolution relative to increasing the per diem rates for incarceration of prisoners at the County Jail. The proposed Resolution establishes the per diem rate at $29.75 per day. Some discussion was held on the current rates for work release and weekend prisoners and the rates proposed in the Resolution. Warden Pelzer stated that currently work release prisoners pay $30.00/week and weekend prisoners pay $10.00/day which generates about $60,000 a year; and the new rates should generate approximately $90,000 a year. Moved by Mr. Belcastro, seconded by Mr. Pettit, approving the foregoing Resolution which establishes the per diem rate for incarceration of prisoners at $29.75 per day; work release prisoners shall be required to pay at a rate of eighteen (18%) percent of their gross wages earned up to the maximum per diem rate; weekend prisoners shall pay the per diem rate rounded up to the nearest dollar. Motion carried unanimously by the Board signifying their approval by staitng "Aye". Chairman Petrosky noted that this resolution would also be placed on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the Board of Commissioners. Chairman Petrosky stated that the second issue that needs to be addressed is the matter of what agency has the authority to investigate disturbances at the County Jail. Sheriff Secreet stated that after last month's meeting he contacted Captain Ed Cochran of the Washington City Police who stated that the City Police was still reluctant to get involved with the situation that occurred on November 23,1994 (escape by inmate Jack McCartney) because of the fact that the Sheriff's Office initially filed the charges. He stated that a compromise was to do the investigation jointly and that is the only way that the City Police would come in. He stated that in order to appease the Prison Board, he agreed to do that and this is where the issue currently stands. It is now a joint investigation by the Sheriff's Office and the Washington City Police and the investigation is still continuing and they hope to have it resolved within a week. Sheriff Secreet made a statement that, as an elected official, he feels it is his charged responsibility and certainly within his legal bounds to investigate and conduct interviews and do all that is necessary, including arrests and filing charges on any person for which he deems has violated the law of Washington County, especially in the County Jail and he solicits the support of the Board members because he thinks it is the right thing to do and because he is a member of the Prison Board and also the Sheriff of the county. W MINUTE Bo0K PRISON BOARD WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 1 iJ Moved by Sheriff Secreet, seconded by Mr. Belcastro, that the Sheriff be designated to conduct investigations at the County Jail. Discussion followed. Chairman Petrosky commented that he is not sure it would be ethical for the Sheriff to sit on the Prison Board and investigate disturbances at the jail as it may be a conflict of interest. Warden Pelzer requested that the Prison Board maintain the current policy which authorizes the Washington City Police to investigate incidents at the County Jail because they are impartial and because of the expertise of the investigators of the City Police. Mr. Pettit expressed his concerns with the proper investigations being done in order for his office to be able to properly prosecute a case. Mr. Ford commented that he feels it makes a lot of sense for the Sheriff to do the investigations since he is the County's law enforcement officer and that if a conflict of interest would arise in a particular incident, the Sheriff as a Prison Board member could abstain on voting, if necessary. More discussion was held. It was the consensus of the Board that Sheriff Secreet should report back to the Board at the January meeting with assurances on what expertise his staff possesses in order for them to be considered to handle disturbances at the Jail; also, that Sheriff Secreet and District Attorney Pettit come back to the Board with a recommendation as to what agency should be authorized to handle disturbances at the County Jail. Mr. Belcastro withdrew his second to the foregoing motion, pending the report from Sheriff Secreet. Controller Belcastro questioned the Board's position as to the matter discussed at last month's meeting concerning whether or not the Board desired to retain the services of Bowker/Liebart Associates, Jail Transition Consultants, for the purposes of (1) advising the Board as to the maximum designated areas that could be double -bunked and the implications relative thereto; and (2) a re-evaluation of staffing needs in 3-6 months after moving into the new facility. Chairman Petrosky suggested that Warden Pelzer contact Bowker/Liebart Associates and report back to the Board in January as to an estimated cost to retain their services as per above. There being no further business, Chairman Petrosky declared the meeting adjourned at approximately 12:35 p.m. THE FOREGOING MINUTES SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL: ATTEST: SECRETARY ,1995