CAPE COUNTY SHERIFF PUSHES TO HIRE FOOD SERVICE FOR JAIL

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan wants to hire a food service to cook the meals for prisoners in the county jail.

Jordan told the County Commission Thursday that the move would be more economical than for the county to continue cooking the meals. He said that would be particularly true as a result of the jail expansion, which will lead to a higher jail population.

The sheriff asked the commission for permission to develop bid specifications and seek bids for food and commissary services at the jail. The commissioners took no formal action, but expressed interest in the idea.

"I am always looking for a better mousetrap," Jordan said.

In 1999, food costs for the jail totaled $61,509 or about $2.76 a day per prisoner, Jordan said. The jail housed about 61 prisoners a day, on average.

The county employs four matrons or female jailers to cook the meals in the jail kitchen and handle other duties. The labor cost totaled about $82,000 last year.

Jordan and county Auditor H. Weldon Macke have crunched the numbers. They said the county spent more than $143,000 last year providing prisoners with three meals a day.

They said that figure could climb to nearly $207,000 a year when the jail expansion project is completed.

Jordan and Macke said Canteen Corporation, a national food service company with offices in Illinois, has indicated it could provide meals at a cost of $203,670 a year, based on an average daily prison population of 101 to 120 inmates.

Jordan said that would be $3,100 less than the county would have to spend to provide the same service.

The sheriff said bidding for the service could lower the cost even more. "I guarantee you this is not their best price," he said of the Canteen offer.

A number of food service companies might submit bids, including Burch Food Services of Sikeston, county officials said.

The more meals served, the lower the cost per meal, Jordan said. The cost could be as low as $4.50 a day per prisoner if the jail houses, on average, 121 to 140 prisoners.

The existing jail houses over 60 prisoners. The county has another 21 prisoners, on average, housed in other jails.

The jail addition will be able to house about 150 prisoners. Jordan said the plan is to house prisoners in the new cells and use the old cells only when necessary.

The jail addition is slated to be completed by December.

Jordan said a food service company could use the existing kitchen in the jail. But he added that the kitchen needs to be upgraded.

He said the kitchen needs a new oven, steam kettle, walk-in refrigeration unit and food cart. Those improvements could cost some $26,000, he told the commission.

Jordan said the county could require a company to make the improvements as part of a food service contract, with the cost being repaid through higher meal charges.

But county commissioners suggested the county might want to pay for the equipment directly rather than tie it to a food service contract.

Jordan said a food service company also could run the commissary, which sells candy and other items to prisoners.