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Commissioners authorize grant-funded full-time cook for sheriff's operations amid pandemic-related workload shifts
Summary
The commission approved adding one full-time, grant-funded cook to the sheriff's staffing plan after staff explained higher food and nonfood costs and reduced inmate labor in 2020 increased civilian workload; commissioners asked for funding ties and expense tracking.
The Utah County Commission authorized a change to the sheriff's staffing plan to add one full-time, grant-funded cook, citing pandemic-driven shifts in inmate population, higher food and supply costs, and additional labor needs.
Commissioners reviewed a staffing and finance summary showing jail food expenses rose in 2020 despite a lower inmate population, driven by higher supply costs and greater reliance on civilian staff. A sheriff's office representative said inmate labor was reduced during the pandemic, requiring more civilian employees to prepare meals.
"The decrease for 2020 is a direct reflection of the population of inmates for 2020," the sheriff's representative said, noting food costs and non-food items increased during the pandemic and that some additional revenue opportunity exists if meals are prepared for vaccination sites.
Commissioners approved the staffing change 3-0 with directions for staff to track hours and costs separately for COVID-response work (Meals on Wheels and vaccination-site feeding), and to consider tying the position's continuation to observable workload metrics and funding sources.
Next steps: Human Resources will classify and post the time-limited, benefited position; finance and HR will report back on cost allocation to ensure grant/CAREs/FEMA reimbursement can be documented.
