On Thursday, May 20, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to enter into an agreement to pay Aramark Correctional Services $1.6 million and change in the coming fiscal year to feed inmates at the Guilford County jails in Greensboro and High Point, as well as feed the youngsters housed at the county’s juvenile detention center.
The motion coming before the nine county commissioners calls for the board to approve a contract with Aramark – the county’s current food services provider for its detention centers – in the amount of $1,415,280, as well as a contract for the Guilford County Juvenile Detention Center in the amount of $240,943.
The one-year contract will have four one-year renewal options.
A competing company – Summit Food Service – bid for the contracts. However, that service submitted a total bid of just over $2 million to feed those in the three facilities.
Sheriff’s Department officials chose to go with Aramark since Summit’s quote was more than $375,000 higher per year than Aramark’s.
According to the contract, Aramark will also feed Sheriff’s Department staff at the jail and detention centers. It’s interesting but not surprising that the meals for jail staff have an average cost higher than the meals for inmates – though none of the diners are getting meals that cost the same as say, an average dinner at Fleming’s Steakhouse or even Village Tavern.
The contracts call for Aramark to supply 2,470 Inmate meals a day. That’s breakfast, lunch and dinner for 823 inmates daily and a total of 901,550 meals for the year.
Inmate meals come out to $1.36 per inmate tray.
The contract also calls for 140 daily staff meals – one meal per day for jail employees – for a total of 51,100 meals for the year. That comes to $2.55 per staff tray.
The contract for the juvenile detention center calls for 150 meals a day for those being held, or 54,750 meals for the year at a cost of $3.790 per tray
Staff meals there will average $2.55 per tray – the same as in the two jails.
The Board of Commissioners shut down the Guilford County Prison Farm about seven years ago, however, when that farm housed inmates, they got some of the best meals. They often ate the extremely fresh food that they had grown on the farm.
They should reopen the prison farm.
Acquaintances from far-East countries told me their prisoners are required to work and/or their own families supply the meals. Prisoners pay their rent by working. The taxpayers who work to support their own responsibilities should not have to pay for criminal’s expenses. We, not the city or county, are already helping the needy who may have lost their jobs and need a helping hand.
Why was the prison farm terminated?
The prison farm was closed due to deeply secretive politics. You’d have to ask Skip & B.J. and you’d still probably not get a straight answer.
Amen
One word would cut this budget and likely reduce recidivism: Nutraloaf.
I was there in 2001,2002. The food that the staff gets is like TGIF or Applebee’s. They are pulling the wool over the states eyes. The food images get is almost dog food. Cold and not edible. Warm milk, cold food is the norm. Trays that the food is served on is dirty and back then didn’t wear gloves. I was there when a correction officer was killed by an inmate he invited to have house when the inmate got out. The c/o name I believe was Darrell. I told him about trying to be cool and they took advantage of him. If you want the real story contact me
Are prison employees the only county personnel for whom taxpayers pay for one of their meals? When I worked, had to make and take own meal, peanut butter jelly or bologna sandwich, or if had a extra money at the end of the month, included an apple.
Bologna and cheese is good hot or cold you don’t like warm milk water is free don’t commit crimes you won’t get arrested and you can eat whatever you want
Some people can make it on $1.36 per meal. Perhaps in Punjab. I guess by “meal”, they mean gruel.
I used to go to the prison farm near Gibsonville at least once a year for bedding plants. The inmates mingled and were helpful with the customers, were very courteous and I was proud of the beautiful place. I also went there with a friend once to rescue /adopt a horse that the inmates were rehabbing. They were working with some confiscated horses that came out of a bad situation. Some real cowboys were there. I am sure the inmates had some real problems, but they interacted well with us. Except for the clothes they wore, you could not tell the inmates from the guards they intermingled and seemed to respect each other so well. Everyone was nice and plump from all the good “organic” food they grew and ate. Whole foods had nothing on them. They also built and sold some crafty stuff. Bird houses, lawn chairs, picnic tables, statuary etc. I always felt better about living in Guilford County after visiting in that peaceful rural setting, so imagine the inmates felt OK living there as well. Probably better than what some (most?) were used to. Many of them did their time on weekends only, and worked at their jobs through the week. Probably looked forward to going to “prison” on the weekend for some of that home grown steak and veggies. But alas, all good things come to an end and so now they get $1.36 meals (slop)complete with dirty unsanitary dishes and warm milk and “The Farm” is no more.