Delaware County jail leadership shifts to interim team as state finalizes warden appointment

Delaware County’s Jail Oversight Board on Sept. 9 heard updates on leadership changes at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility after Warden Laura Williams’ resignation.

Board Chair called the meeting to order and said the board held an executive session on Sept. 9 “related to construction ongoing at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, matters related to investigations ongoing at the prison, and personnel matters,” and then opened the meeting’s leadership update.

Executive Director (unnamed) reported that two internal interim appointments are in place: Deputy Bonds has been named interim chief deputy warden and Major Leach has been assigned as interim deputy warden for security and training. “Those will be two interim roles that will be in place while we conduct a search for a warden,” the executive director said.

Chief Deputy Wharton Bonds, who is serving as interim chief deputy warden, reintroduced himself to the board and summarized his background and immediate priorities. Bonds said the county is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to identify an individual to serve as the interim warden and that the state has “conducted this process where they outreach to their facilities to identify persons that might be interested, conducting interviews and working on an agreement with the county to facilitate having a person come in as interim warden.” He said paperwork was expected to be completed within the week and that the interim appointee should have a “rapid start date.”

Major Leach, newly in the interim deputy warden for security and training role, thanked the board and said he would focus on maintaining safety and continuing training operations. “My goal is for us to remain focused on moving forward in the right direction and continue to enhance the process that has already begun by ensuring we maintain a safe and secure correctional facility,” Leach said.

The executive director also told the board the county is finalizing a job description for the permanent warden and will post the position and conduct a search intended to identify a candidate who “will meet the needs of this jail oversight board, the facility, and the staff.” The board chair said final approval of an interim state-appointed warden is expected to be handled in advance of, and officially recorded at, next month’s board meeting.

No formal vote was taken on the interim internal assignments during the meeting; the board postponed formal approval of any interim warden pending completion of paperwork with the state.

The board and staff emphasized continuity during the transition and said they would share updates with the oversight board as documents are finalized and candidates are identified.

Ending — The board scheduled continued oversight of leadership updates and the permanent warden search and said it will be apprised in advance of any interim state appointment and will address formal appointments at the next monthly meeting.