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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > December > 17 > Entry
Jail bids could save county $1 million or more
Bids that came in this week for more than $6 million in services provided at Butler County’s jails appear to include substantial savings, according to county officials.
That’s what happens when work is put to bid that has long gone to the local nonprofit Resolutions, Community Solutions Inc. without a competitive bid, according to Commission President Donald Dixon.
Sheriff Richard K. Jones said it appears to justify his decision to close the county’s Resolutions jail this summer.
The bid documents are sizable — boxes and folders altogether the size of a high-backed couch — and will take time to review. But the food services portion of the bid alone appears to contain roughly $1 million in savings.
Resolutions offered to feed prisoners at the county’s jails for just over $2 million a year, compared to $1 million in bids submitted by two other vendors. The reason for this disparity is unclear, officials said, and will have to be reviewed before a choice is made. In other categories, Resolutions may be the lowest bidder.
Jones said exact numbers may not be crunched until the end of the month. “It looks like there’s going to be substantial savings in there,” he said.
“It’s certainly been a worthwhile venture, and couldn’t come at a better time with the budget situation we’re in,” Dixon said. “This is just the result of what happens when you go out for competitive bidding in the private sector.”
Dixon said this is further evidence that the county’s various offices need a centralized purchasing department, a concept there has been little political will to see through. “Everything needs to be bid out. Everything,” he said.
For years, Resolutions has provided all of the services at the county’s three jails except for security, which is provided by the sheriff’s office. Resolutions charged for all these services with a flat, per-prisoner rate. This netted the company $6.7 million in 2008 and $6.2 million this year. The bids break that out into five contracts.
The agency cut some of its services this year after Jones closed the Resolutions jail and terminated some education and substance abuse programs.
“I don’t see myself approving those programs this year,” he said.
Resolutions is also still embroiled in closed-door discussions with the county over utility bills switched into the county’s name allegedly without commission knowledge, and bills for work the agency did at the Court Street jail without a contract.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Resolutions
Comments
By ssgtusmc
December 17, 2009 10:53 PM | Link to this
I posted a comment on this Yesterday. Why is it not shown today? Was it too much common sence? Hire a kitchen manager and let the inmate work on KP to helpdefray cost to outside firms..should save millions!!!
By Kerry
December 18, 2009 9:11 AM | Link to this
This is outrageous, Resolutions charged the county over $6 million dollars a year the past two years to feed prisoners, when offer to do it for $2 million next year. Didn’t the sheriff realize something was wrong here? A $4 million dollar difference for the same services. Someone got rich on this and I just wonder who all got their pockets lined.
By Neil
December 18, 2009 10:03 AM | Link to this
Sheriff Jones said “It looks like there’s going to be substantial savings in there,”. Ricky that would be an understatement. Sheriff you’ve been in office six years and looking at these numbers you’ve over spent by $30 million dollars on feeding prisoners. What were these criminals eating?
By Alex
December 18, 2009 1:24 PM | Link to this
What’s Sheriff Jones running down there on Hanover Street, a Five Star Restaurant for criminals and illegal aliens?
By pancho perez perez
January 11, 2010 3:42 PM | Link to this
i was there in o7 and iwas working cleaning windows and they pay me 50 dollars per week
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March 9, 2010 1:13 AM | Link to this
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