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Beyond the Byline: A lasting birthday celebration

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National POW/MIA Recognition Day celebrated in Newport Township

As usual, Luzerne County&#8217;s prison system is the largest single department expense in the newly proposed 2019 budget.The administration is seeking $28.5 million to run the Water Street correctional facility and minimal offenders building on Reichard Street, both in Wilkes-Barre, which amounts to 20 percent of the proposed $140.9 million general fund operating budget. The budget seeks a 3 percent tax hike.In comparison, this year&#8217;s correctional services allocation is $174,279 less.While some cuts were made in various projected prison expenses, county Manager C. David Pedri told council that increases totaling $400,000 were necessary for inmate health care and overtime.Half of that increase stems from the county&#8217;s plans to enter into a new contract for inmate medical and mental health services, Pedri said.Council had agreed to partially outsource these services to Kansas-based Correct Care Solutions in March 2015.Correct Care is paid around $2.16 million per year to provide a range of services and personnel, including a medical and mental health team to perform inmate screening, health assessments and examinations. Prescription and non-prescription drugs, emergency ambulance transport and other medical treatment also are included in the package.The company&#8217;s contract expires in April, and the administration is reviewing several proposals from Correct Care and other entities interested in handling the work.&#8220;Hopefully, we&#8217;ll come in less than that,&#8221; Pedri said, referring to the $200,000 increase.An overtime increase is warranted, Pedri said, due to correctional officer turnover and enhanced supervision during building repairs.Under his proposal, the overtime earmark will increase from $1.1 million to $1.3 million at the prison and from $105,000 to $125,000 at the minimal offenders building.As of Oct. 5, $967,141 has been spent on prison overtime, the proposed budget says.More correctional officers were needed this year to watch contractors in the prison for elevator, shower and air conditioning repairs, Pedri told council. In 2019, work on interior doors and a control panel will require additional supervision.Job vacancies also jacked up overtime, Pedri said, specifying correctional officer and Children and Youth caseworker positions as the most difficult to fill.Keeping all 194 budgeted positions filled has been a challenge due to ongoing retirements and departures, with some correctional officers leaving for state prison jobs, Correctional Services Division Head Mark Rockovich said.Pedri said he recently approved the hiring of 12 officers to fill vacancies.&#8220;While we bring new people up to speed, that requires overtime as well,&#8221; he told council.Rockovich, who is set to discuss his budget at an Oct. 30 council budget session, said he continues to seek efficiencies in the around-the-clock, mandated service.&#8220;I will make any cuts that do not jeopardize the security and safety of the officers and inmates,&#8221; Rockovich said.A new jail with a more efficient layout could reduce spending on operation and labor, officials have said, but the proposal has not progressed beyond periodic discussion because the county would have to borrow funds to pay for it and identify an affordable and feasible construction site in a community that would not object.Other spendingDebt repayments are the second highest expense in the proposed budget, rising from $20.77 million to $25.04 million.Next in line is the &#8220;general government category,&#8221; which is increasing from $20.7 million to $21.6 million. This includes health insurance, the employee pension fund subsidy, postage and printing costs.The pension subsidy is increasing $570,000, to a new total of $9.35 million, on the recommendation of the fund actuary. The plan is 72 percent funded, Pedri said.Fourth highest for spending is the court branch, at a proposed $19.037 million, which is a reduction from this year&#8217;s $19.09 million. The division covers administration, probation services, domestic relations and district courts.The current and proposed new expenses in some other divisions and departments, according to a proposed budget review:&#8226; County manager&#8217;s office: $268,154 to $278,923&#8226; Controller&#8217;s office: $271,682 to $276,180&#8226; District Attorney&#8217;s office: $4.4 million to $4.6 million&#8226; Law division (includes solicitors and conflict counsel): $2.38 million to $2.33 million&#8226; Budget/Finance division (includes tax collection, property assessment and the treasurer&#8217;s office): $3.1 million to $3.2 million&#8226; Administrative Services (includes human resources, voter services, mapping/GIS, purchasing, information technology, licensing and liability/property insurance): $5.3 million to $5.5 million&#8226; Operational Services (includes planning/zoning, building/grounds, boiler plant, 911, emergency management, road/bridge and engineers): $4.54 million to $4.97 million&#8226; Judicial Services and Records (includes deeds, coroner, prothonotary, sheriff, security, clerk of courts and records storage): $4.65 million to $4.88 million&#8226; Human Services (includes veteran affairs and county contributions toward drug/alcohol, mental health, aging and Children and Youth): $8.66 million to $8.44 million&#8226; Public Defender: $2.55 million to $2.6 millionCouncil is free to alter the proposal before final adoption, which is set for Dec. 11. Several budget work sessions have been scheduled before that date.<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County&#8217;s administration is seeking $28.5 million in 2019 to run the correctional facility on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre, shown here, and the nearby minimal offenders building on Reichard Street. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_lccf01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County&#8217;s administration is seeking $28.5 million in 2019 to run the correctional facility on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre, shown here, and the nearby minimal offenders building on Reichard Street. </caption0><photoCredit0>File photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jennifer Learn-Andesjandes@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County prison system remains top budget expense