The state Department of Corrections will pay $65 per prisoner per day to house parole violators at the Lackawanna County Prison under an agreement approved Wednesday by the county commissioners.
Warden Robert McMillan told the commissioners the new agreement is similar to one the jail had to house regular state prisoners until the Department of Corrections decided to remove those inmates from county facilities last fall, with two major differences.
The new contract involves only technical parole violators - offenders who break the terms and conditions of their parole - and the amount the prison is paid for each inmate will jump from $60 to $65 daily, Mr. McMillan said. The agreement will run for three years, with the possibility of extending it to five.
The department is permitted to place up to 100 parole violators at the jail, meaning the contract is potentially worth more than $2 million annually to the county.
However, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Susan McNaughton said the number of violators Lackawanna County receives is likely to fluctuate "based on our need as well as what other counties may participate" in housing the prisoners.
The commissioners voted for a second time to approve legislation to borrow $2.8 million from Fidelity Deposit & Discount Bank to fund construction of the county's carrier-grade wireless network.
The commissioners originally introduced the ordinance Jan. 23 and then adopted it Feb. 5. However, the state Department of Community and Economic Development, which must approve the borrowing, kicked the ordinance back to the county for re-adoption because it was not properly advertised before the Feb. 5 vote.
On another matter, the county pension board, which includes the commissioners, Controller Gary DiBileo and Treasurer Ed Karpovich, voted to issue a belated request for qualifications for an audit of the board's 2012 finances after learning a local firm, McGrail, Merkel, Quinn & Associates, was already working on the audit.
County spokesman Joseph D'Arienzo said a check of county records showed the McGrail firm was awarded a contract to perform the 2009 audit after responding to a request for proposals in 2010. The firm has done every audit since then after sending an engagement letter to the county for approval, he said.
Mr. DiBileo said he signed off on the letter for the 2012 audit after receiving it from the pension board secretary, and county officials said it was returned to McGrail without either the board or the commissioners approving it. Solicitor Don Frederickson said the letter is not a valid contract.
Commissioner Corey O'Brien said while it is expected that McGrail will respond to the new RFQ, it may choose to halt its work on the audit pending the completion of the process.
The commissioners also:
- Approved the final undeveloped lot in the Covington Industrial Park for the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program, which will exempt real estate taxes on improvements on the 36-acre tract for 10 years. Covington Twp. and North Pocono School District previously approved the LERTA exemption.
- Approved a $3,168 grant from the Department of Environmental Protection for an electronic education project aimed at educating the public on recycling and other environmental issues.
- Proclaimed March 21 as the 10th annual CASUAL Day in the county to promote colon cancer awareness.
- Presented a "Good Works in Lackawanna County" certificate of recognition to Jaime Hailstone and Dave Clark of the St. Patrick's Parade Association of Lackawanna County.
Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com