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Board OKs detention‑center food contract after changing 'shall' to 'may' to preserve catering options

Graham County Board of Supervisors · November 18, 2025

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Summary

Supervisors approved a one‑year renewable food‑service agreement for the Graham County Detention Center with Summit Food Services and amended contract language so the company "may" provide catering for special events, preserving county discretion; the contract includes a CPI‑based increase capped at 5%.

Manager Welker presented the procurement and contract for food services at the Graham County Detention Center, saying Summit Food Services was the lowest qualified bidder after the county opened proposals earlier this fall. "This is for a company to provide inmates meals," Welker explained, adding the jail population typically ranges from about 80 to 120 inmates, roughly 20 of whom on average are federal (marshals or Bureau of Indian Affairs) detainees.

Welker described contract mechanics: the agreement is a one‑year term with annual renewal for up to five years, annual price‑increase requests tied to the average of five food‑related CPIs, and a negotiated cap that limits increases to 5% in any given year. Board members focused discussion on Section 3.2H, which in draft required the contractor to provide food for special occasions ("shall"). Supervisor David recommended changing that clause to "may" so the county would not be forced to use the contractor for every catered event.

"I just don't want to have them telling us that we can't use [another caterer] when we have, like, the fair dinner," a supervisor said during the discussion. Supervisor David moved to approve the food‑service agreement with the wording change; a colleague seconded and the motion carried by voice vote.

What happens next: staff will finalize the contract language and memorialize the agreement with Summit Food Services, preserving county discretion over catering for special events. The county will also follow the contract's annual review process for any renewal requests or price adjustments.