Lackawanna County prison board approves payables, accepts financial and operational reports

The Lackawanna County Prison Board on Aug. 20 approved payables and accepted several regular reports that showed current inmate and canteen balances, program activity in community corrections and staffing pressures at the county prison.

Controller DeBlio told the board, “The balance in the inmate account was $474,845.20 as of 07/31/2025.” He also reported the canteen checking account balance at $595,257.11 and a Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust (PLGIT) investment account balance of $968,950.86 that “earns approximately $3,423 per month and which will next mature in January 2026.” DeBlio said $92,425.74 was paid from the Canteen account in July for the benefit, welfare and education of county prison inmates.

Those figures anchored the board’s financial review. The board approved a motion described in the meeting as “253038,” to pay current invoices for the community corrections center and then voted to accept the controller’s report.

In its community corrections report, staff reported house-arrest participation at 151 for July, juvenile participation of 18 and $3,630 in juvenile-related receipts for the month. Year-to-date program expenses were reported as $108,049.06 and program completions as 33. Staff reported three violations and four outstanding warrants for house arrest. The report noted that house-arrest financial detail was incomplete for March through July and that $101,908 was recorded for January and February; staff said the missing months remain under reconciliation while a long-term payroll/finance employee is out sick.

Warden Petty reported an average daily population of 631 inmates for July — including 578 adult males, three juvenile males, 50 adult females, 140 U.S. Marshals Service detainees and five Susquehanna County detainees — and summarized staffing and budget figures. “Currently our correctional officer numbers [are] ... 169 full timers on shift, 5 out on workers comp, 0 on continuous FMLA with 76 that have intermittent FMLA, 0 on administrative leave, and 8 full time vacancies,” Petty said. He also reported revenue at 49% and expenses at 59% as of July 31.

Petty described three extraordinary incidents in July. He said, “On July 1, the male inmate jumped from the upper tier of his housing unit and landed on his head. Staff assisted in immobilizing this person, and he was then attended to by medical staff until an ambulance arrived.” He also described two other episodes in which male inmates repeatedly banged their heads against cell walls and one booking incident that required the use of an emergency restraint chair; medical staff assessed each person after staff secured them. The warden reported no PREA investigations for July.

The board voted to accept the community corrections report and the warden’s report. Personnel matters were discussed in executive session; the board did not disclose details at the public return.

The warden announced three retirements: Dave Delvecchio after 28 years, John Dodson after 24 years and Martin Adley after 20 years of service.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve minutes: approved (mover/second not named in transcript; vote recorded by voice as “Aye”). - Motion to approve current payables for the community corrections center (referred to as 253038): approved (voice vote “Aye”). - Motion to accept the Controller’s report: approved (voice vote “Aye”). - Motion to accept the Community Corrections report: approved (voice vote “Aye”). - Motion to accept the Warden’s report: approved (voice vote “Aye”). - Motion to adjourn: approved (voice vote “Aye”).

Board members and staff did not record roll-call vote tallies during the public meeting for these items; votes were taken by voice with “Aye” recorded for approval.