SUNBURY - Northumberland County Prison Board member Vinny Clausi is not pleased with legal fees from the county's representation in a lawsuit filed by Lewisburg Prison Project.
"We have to put a stop to these expenses. Let's cut the corruption," he said Wednesday morning at the prison.
The issue is a $60 fee from Lavery, Faherty, Young & Patterson, Harrisburg, who charged the county for reading articles in The News-Item and The Daily Item for 10 minutes each on Feb. 3 in regards to the prison and lawsuit.
Clausi said the county has already paid more than a million dollars over three years defending the lawsuit before settling. "This is not acceptable," he said.
The Lewisburg Prison Project, a nonprofit inmate advocacy group, filed a lawsuit in 2008 against the prison on behalf of the inmates who complained about inadequate health care and unsafe housing conditions. A $1.5 million settlement was reached in 2010, and the county upgraded the building and improved health care by hiring Prime Care Medical Inc., Harrisburg.
Board chairman Stephen Bridy agreed that the county has already paid an exorbitant amount and criticized the attorney's fees. "If he (the firm's attorney) wants to know what's going on in the county, he should contact the county, not what the reporters are saying about it," Bridy said.
While legal counsel has saved the county from spending $30 million to construct a new prison, the "gravy train" ends in June, Bridy said.
Board member Rick Shoch, who is also an attorney, said these charges appear to be legitimate.
"You need to be on top of what's in the press. He bills for his time. I feel that it's reasonable," he said.
Bridy said he's been looking over all the fees in the last four years and expects to be finished soon. There is one more inspection of the prison before June when the probation period is over.
In other business:
- Brian Wheary, operations commander, informed the board that the payroll for the month of March was at $62,000 and overtime was at 74 hours. Clausi requested a two-year comparison for prison expenses for the May meeting.
- A comprehensive review of inmate transaction fees when entering the prison and close out fees when leaving the prison will be conducted. At this time, the fee is $1.50.
- The prison board held a 13-minute executive session to discuss litigation issues.