COMMISSIONERS OK PACT TO FEED JAIL PRISONERS

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission has voted to hire a food service company to feed prisoners and operate the commissary at the new jail, which is expected to open in January.

Sheriff John Jordan said the hiring of Compass-Canteen Correctional Services, based in Charlotte, N.C., would save the county an estimated $51,763 a year.

The jail staff had prepared the meals, but Jordan estimated it could have cost the county more than $246,000 to feed prisoners in the new jail where the daily inmate population is expected to be 136 on average. The estimate includes the cost of food and the salaries of the jail cooks.

In contrast, Compass-Canteen would provide meals at a cost of $194,481, the sheriff said.

A contract has yet to be signed, but Jordan said he expects it will be a three-year contract.

The commission said the contract is based on a charge of about $1.30 a meal, based on a population of 136 to 145 inmates. If there are fewer prisoners, the cost per meal is higher. If there are more prisoners, the cost per meal decreases.

Prisoners would be served three meals a day totaling a combined 2,600 calories.

Campass-Canteen would hire the cooking staff, which could include the three cooks currently employed at the jail, Jordan said.

People hired by the company would have to meet a sheriff's department background check.

"If they don't clear our background check, they are not coming in," Jordan said.

The firm also would run the jail commissary, selling everything from toothpaste to candy bars. The county would receive 20.5 percent commission on the sales.

Jordan said the current commissary generates about $20,000, and the current jail holds about 65 prisoners a day, on average.

While the county will receive only a percentage of sales revenue under the new arrangement, the sheriff said Compass-Canteen will sell a greater and better variety of merchandise. With the jail expected to hold more prisoners, the county ultimately could see increased revenue from the commissary operation, he said.