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County council adopts staffing shift change as corrections employees press staffing and safety concerns
Summary
Correctional officers and a union representative told the council the jail is short dozens of officers and operating under unsafe conditions. The council approved a substitute ordinance reclassifying seven 12-hour correctional positions to 8-hour positions and directed administration to pursue additional measures.
Correctional officers and a union representative told the St. Charles County Council that the county jail is operating short-handed and that the resulting conditions are unsafe for staff and inmates. In response, the council adopted a substitute ordinance to convert seven 12-hour corrections positions to 8-hour positions and agreed to pursue further administrative steps.
David Reagan, a spokesman for Laborers Local 42, told the council, “You’re 25 people short. And the next year, you’re 30. Last year was 35. You’re about 40 COs short of a full staff.” Members of the corrections workforce and union representatives attended the meeting on their days off to press the point.
Officers described the operational strain. “We do not have enough staff to maintain safety and security of the inmates or ourselves,” officer Shawn Ward said. Officers reported triple-bunking in areas meant for fewer inmates and long stretches of mandatory overtime. A corrections staff member, Rhonda Chamandl, described being put on light duty and said she feared retaliation if staff spoke publicly.
Council action: the council passed Substitute Bill 5405, described at the meeting as an amendment reclassifying seven corrections positions from 12-hour to 8-hour shifts. During the roll call on the substitute, every member present recorded a “yes” vote and the chair announced that the bill passes. The ordinance text read: “To reclassify seven corrections officer 12-hour shift positions to seven corrections officer 8-hour shift positions in the Department of Corrections.”
Why it matters: officers said persistent vacancies are producing unsafe conditions, higher turnover and service disruptions. Testimony from staff and union representatives urged the council to consider pay, scheduling and other retention incentives. Council members asked administration to study comparative pay in neighboring counties and explore short-term and longer-term solutions.
Administration response and next steps: county administration said the substitute ordinance is one step to relieve pressure during peak staffing hours. Council and staff discussed scheduling, recruitment and capital improvements to the jail; administration reported ongoing construction to remodel key floors and said parts of the project will be complete next year with all work concluding in 2027. Council members asked for an expedited briefing and work-session discussion on corrections staffing and compensation, and administration agreed to provide updates to the council soon.
No further formal personnel actions were announced at the meeting beyond the approved reclassification; council members and staff said additional policy options and potential budget implications will be discussed in follow-up meetings.
