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Fiscal Court flags jail food contract compliance, approves inmate-telecom addendum and converts commissary contractors to salaried staff
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Summary
The court noted possible contractual noncompliance by Kellwell Food Management, voted to authorize an inmate-telecommunications addendum adopting offsite document scanning, and approved converting commissary-funded contracted workers to part-time salaried employees; a requested higher pay rate for a specialty part-time employee was not approved.
Simpson County Fiscal Court on Aug. 2 discussed the county jail’s contracts and inmate services, directing follow-up on a contested food-service price increase and approving an addendum to the jail’s inmate-telecommunications agreement.
Judge/Executive Mason Barnes said the county would contact Kellwell Food Management after staff raised concerns that the company’s proposed price increase did not comply with contract language limiting increases to the Food Away From Home Index and requiring 60 days’ notice before renewal. The court did not take immediate action to change the contract; Barnes said he would contact Kellwell for clarification.
Separately, the court authorized the Combined Public Communications Addendum B to the jail’s Inmate Telecommunications General Service Agreement (originally entered Feb. 5, 2019), choosing Option 1 to use TextBehind offsite document scanning. The addendum authorization passed unanimously (motion by Chandler, second by Downey).
Deputy Jailer Brent Deweese reported an inmate census of 290, including 215 state inmates. The minutes record that several individuals who provided commissary-funded services would sign termination documents because they would not obtain required liability insurance; the court approved moving those workers to part-time salaried status at pay rates intended to equate to previous compensation. A separate request to pay a particular specialty part-time jail employee at a higher rate was not approved because it would not comply with the approved budget, and no action was taken on that request.
The minutes do not include contract text or Kellwell’s response; they record only the court’s instruction to seek clarification from Kellwell and the motions authorizing the telecom addendum and staffing conversions.