The Clarion County Jail Inspection Board received a word of caution at its regular meeting Oct. 5.
Jeff Bailey, an employee at the county jail, told the board that he wanted to avoid the situation that is occurring in at least one neighboring county.
Bailey said that in Armstrong County the Corrections Officers at that county’s prison were mandated to work shifts due to the low number of officers.
“I don’t want Clarion County to be at the point where Armstrong County is,” Bailey told the board. He said the wages for the COs in the county was among the highest in the tri-county region when he started to work there in 1995. “We have lost about one-third of our staff this year,” he said.
“Now we are among the lowest,” he said. Bailey suggested amending the current contract to improve the wages paid to the COs. “If we don’t do something soon with the wages, we could be where Armstrong is.”
The starting wage at the Jail is $14.75 an hour. Bailey suggested amending the current contract. The COs are represented by the United Mine Workers.
Commissioner and Jail Board member Ted Tharan said work on the new jail roof started this week. “All of the old wires have been taken off and a new conduit has been installed,” he said. He said every time something broke they just ran a wire across the roof. “Now we have the lights on and it is very bright,” he said.
“Maintenance on the building over the past six weeks has been phenomenal,” said Blose. He said that problems remain with some equipment.
Questioned about the transfer of prisoners from Clarion County Jail into the state system, Blose said two inmates were transferred Thursday and two more should be transferred next month.
Jail Board chairman Commissioner Wayne Brosius said the county is continuing to search for a replacement for former Warden Jeff Hornberger who retired last month.
The next meeting of the Jail Inspection Board will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at the county jail in Shippenville.