County to outsource jail meals to save money and simplify operations

The Union County Board of Supervisors have contracted with Tiger Correctional to provide all the meals at the Union County Jail in an effort to save money and make administration easier.

Board President Randy Owen said the cost per meal will vary by number of prisoners but that the plan will save money. In the past, county employees have handled food service and meals have usually averaged a cost of a little under $2 per meal.

The company will probably take over operations in mid-November. Tiger will hire the cooking staff as Tiger employees, although they will be answerable to the sheriff as needed, and Tiger will provide benefits such as a 401(k) and competitive salaries, a company representative said.

Tiger will order and purchase all the food as well as preparing it.

The same company will be installing a video system at the jail to provide for remote video visits between inmates and family or friends. The system can also help facilitate inmate appearances by video with judges when bond needs to be set or other actions are required. This will particularly help at night and on weekends when it might be more difficult to get a judge to the jail in person. It also will help reduce the likelihood of contraband being brought in by visitors.

This system will probably be ready after the first of the year because installation will be somewhat complex. Tiger also has the commissary system.

In other jail matters, the board approved Kayla Harrison as receiving clerk and moving Chris Gamble from part-time to full-time jailer.

This past month, Harrison was moved from full-time detention officer to full-time assistant jail administrator when Scott Benson was moved from part-time detention officer to full-time jail administrator.

In general business, the board authorized advertising for commodities to be purchased for the coming year. This includes road and bridge materials and used to also include asphalt, fuel, culverts, timber and other items but vendors stopped submitting bids they would stand behind for a full year.

This time the materials will be purchased through reverse auction, in which initial bids are submitted and bidders have the opportunity to competitively lower bids if they wish.

In other business, supervisors accepted USDA regulations that will allow a loan to purchase needed new E-911 equipment, which will cost about $800,000.

The board appointed a committee to open construction bids for the courthouse and old jail renovation project Nov. 5, which is not a regular meeting date. The county is getting a grant from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History but when the project was first advertised the bids came in well over the funds available. Specifications were reworked and the project put out for bid again.

In purchasing, the board accepted the low price of $19,200 each for two brush cutters from Johnny Garrison.

They also approved sending deputy Chris Whiteside, who is the canine officer, for interdiction training in Southaven Oct. 19 at a cost of $175. Sheriff Jimmy Edwards said the training provides information on how to spot potential drug dealers or transporters as they travel though the area.

They also approved a request by tax assessor-collector Tameri Dunnam to reduce two tax assessments for businesses that have closed.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the board of supervisors will be Monday, Nov. 2.