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Board approves extension of jail kitchen services contract with Summit Foods
Summary
Crow Wing County approved an extension of the Summit Foods contract to provide meals at the county jail; Summit operates the jail kitchen under a lease and the county requires a minimum daily calorie standard.
The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners approved Jan. 28 an extension of the county’s kitchen services contract with Summit Foods (formerly Avianz) to continue providing inmate meals at the Crow Wing County Jail.
Captain Troy Schilling, jail administrator, told the board Summit has prepared meals for the jail since 2005 and provides on‑site staff, including a kitchen manager, while the county supplies inmate kitchen workers. “Summit serves 2 hot meals and 1 cold breakfast daily,” Schilling said, and he added the county requires at least 2,400 calories daily and a minimum of one hot meal.
Schilling said the county leases the kitchen to Summit for off‑site catering to other local facilities and that the facilities department manages that leasing agreement. He also presented a cost comparison with a vendor called Skillet Foods (associated with Turnkey Corrections). Using December invoices as an example, Schilling said Skillet’s proposal would have been about $6,000 more than Summit for that month, and that operating an in‑house kitchen can be significantly more expensive for other counties.
Commissioners asked about kitchen leasing arrangements and whether Summit pays to lease the county kitchen; Schilling confirmed the facilities department manages that lease and that Summit does pay for use. The board approved the contract extension on a roll‑call vote (motion by Commissioner Lubke, second by Commissioner Lee; all ayes).
Schilling and staff noted Summit’s menu is approved annually by a registered dietitian and nutritionist. The extension will remain subject to regular monitoring of population and monthly rate adjustments tied to average daily population.
The board’s action was described by staff as routine procurement to maintain continuity of food services and to control costs when population levels vary.
