Jamestown medium-security budget seeks $40 million; prison runs peer-support lodge and requests kitchen ovens

Michelle Zander, Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told the Appropriations - Human Resources Division committee that the Jamestown Regional Correctional Center’s (JRCC) base budget is close to $35,000,000 and the executive recommendation is about $40,000,000. "JRCC is our medium security prison in Jamestown," Zander said on the record.

The budget packet shows salary and fringe account for the majority of the executive recommendation (83.7 percent) and operating costs about 16.2 percent; Zander said operating expenses include food, clothing, linens, staff meals, motor-pool costs and resident wages. The department requested $49,480 for kitchen equipment replacement, citing “very outdated ovens.” Committee members discussed the ovens’ age and likely per-unit cost; a member estimated about four ovens at roughly $10,000–$12,000 each.

The hearing also reviewed a culturally based peer-support program at JRCC. Chad Pringle, Warden of JRCC, described the Akishni Warrior Lodge as a Lakota-named, culturally rooted unit that started last fall and has grown to about 10 participants with a planned capacity of 14. Representative Murphy asked about participant numbers; Pringle answered, "we're building up to 14" and said the program "started out with 5" and has operated about six months. Pringle and other presenters said the program pays participants because their days are filled with structured programming and they cannot work other jobs in the facility while in the lodge. Officials identified a payroll line that totals about $64,474 to cover resident pay for the 14-person model; the department described that as the equivalent of compensating 14 peer-support specialists.

Pringle described JRCC staffing trends as improving in recent months, saying, "the last month it's been a great improvement and we had quite a few applicants," and that turnover has historically been a challenge but recent hiring has strengthened staffing. Committee members pressed about the facility census and composition; Pringle said Native American residents are "a little bit over 30% currently," and that the lodge uses Native cultural approaches in programming.

Committee members also probed nonpayroll items. Zander said JRCC prepares separate meal lines for JRCC and for the state hospital because the hospital requires a different menu and higher-grade food; she told the committee the two menus are prepared separately. On staff meals, Zander referenced existing policy authority, noting staff on duty may be provided meals without charge; she said she could pull the Century Code or policy language for the committee.

Why this matters: the JRCC budget request is part of higher-level corrections budget pressures the committee is considering, and the lodge represents a programmatic shift toward peer support and culturally specific treatment inside a secure facility. Committee members asked for additional documentation on equipment needs and for the underlying policy citation that allows on-duty staff meals to be provided without charge.

Committee directions and next steps include providing the committee with the Century Code or policy language Zander referenced and clarifying the equipment request details and estimated per-unit pricing; the presenters said they would supply that additional documentation.

Ending: Officials said they will bring further line-item detail on equipment and population data when the department returns to the committee.