Inspectors recommend commissioners negotiate with MediCom; meeting moved into executive session

Chair of the inspectors of the Carbon County Jail said the prison board recommended that the county commissioners engage in negotiations with MediCom on the medical-services request for proposals and the inspectors voted to present that recommendation to the commissioners.

Why it matters: The medical-services contract affects who provides on-site and emergency medical care for inmates. The inspectors’ formal recommendation sends the procurement discussion to the county commissioners and precedes any contract decision.

At the meeting, Chair (speaker 1) asked the inspectors to ratify the prison board’s recommendation and to forward that recommendation to the commissioners. A committee member (speaker 7) moved that the recommendation be presented to the commissioners for discussion; the Chair seconded the motion and the assembly responded in the affirmative on a voice vote. Chair stated, "that we had recommended to the commissioners to negotiate with MediCom," and said details about any negotiated contract would be discussed later.

Several members urged caution before finalizing any action. One committee member (speaker 6) said the board would meet with the medical provider again and suggested tabling the matter; another (speaker 2) argued an executive session may be required to address outstanding concerns. The Chair said no final decision would be made that day in public and then announced the meeting would adjourn into an executive session to discuss the medical proposal; any outcome would be reported at the next prison board meeting.

No formal contract award was announced at the public meeting. The inspectors recorded that they had reviewed RFPs and recommended that the commissioners open negotiations with MediCom; the timing and terms of any contract remain subject to the commissioners’ review and further closed-session discussion.