SUNBURY - A new food service contractor hired Tuesday by Northumberland County commissioners is expected to save the county between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.
Commissioners Frank Sawicki, Vinny Clausi and Merle Phillips hired Aramark of Philadelphia at its low bid price of $1.399 per meal as recommended by prison warden Roy Johnson and operations commander Brian Wheary. (Another bid was received from Canteen Correctional Services of Charlotte, N.C., for $1.875 per prime meal and $1.56 per basic meal).
Sawicki said the change in providing inmate meals will save the county approximately $100,000 in food costs. But Clausi repeated a claim he made last month that hiring a food service contractor to provide the meals will save an estimated $200,000 when everything is taken into account, including wages paid to the two full-time cooks at the prison who are union employees.
No jobs will be lost as a result of the private vendor being hired by the county because the cooks will be reassigned.
Clausi said the meals, which are currently prepared in-house, cost the county approximately $600,000 per year.
Sawicki said Thursday's transfer of 210 county prisoners to two state prison facilities as a precaution due to the flooding potential from the Susquehanna River cost the county approximately $28,000.
He said the county was charged $62 per day to house 30 female inmates at SCI-Muncy and approximately 180 male inmates at SCI-Coal Township. He said transportation costs also were incurred in relocating the prisoners, who were returned to the county prison Saturday.
Sawicki said the county plans to seek reimbursement from PEMA or FEMA for relocating the prisoners.
"It was an orderly transfer recommended by Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage and the commissioners," Sawicki said. "It was done as a safety precaution because the river was only about seven inches from the top of the flood wall before it receded."
The commissioners awarded banking services to M&T Bank in Sunbury, a move that will earn the county approximately $21,000 more in interest compared to what the county was previously receiving. The bid from M&T Bank for the services was approximately $13,000 less than a proposal submitted by First National Bank.
Sawicki announced Milton Senior Action Center, Lower Northumberland County Senior Action Center in Herndon, Northumberland County Administration Center in Sunbury, Northumberland County Career and Arts Center in Shamokin, Sen. John Gordner's office in Strong, state Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver's office in Sunbury and state Rep. Kurt Masser's office in Elysburg will be open through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to assist county residents who suffered flood-related damages last week.
Clausi commended all county EMA and 911 center employees, police and the numerous volunteer firefighters, fire police and rescue personnel for assisting during the historic Flood of 2011. "I am very proud of them. They did a hell of a job," he said.
The commissioners adopted an ordinance that establishes requirements and procedures for real property addressing.