Kosciusko County credits new jail food program with large savings, returns roughly $432,979 to general fund

Kosciusko County officials told the council that a change in how the jail purchases inmate meals has produced substantial savings and returned money to the county's general fund.

Michelle Jackson, described in the meeting as the jail’s kitchen coordinator, said the county moved to a vendor-managed food program that cut the per-tray cost from about $2.15–$2.30 to roughly $1.06. Jackson said January costs were about $1.00 per tray and February averaged roughly $0.96 per tray. "We've returned $432,978.94 back to the county general fund," she said, and credited kitchen staff and trustees for helping implement the program and find additional efficiencies.

Budget office and sheriff’s representatives explained the accounting mechanics to the council: insurance or external reimbursements are paid to the county and then returned to the operating department’s vehicle- or program-level account for replacement or repair costs. The sheriff’s office representative confirmed that one-time food donations and commissary purchases supplement routine meal funding but are handled separately from inmate meal funds.

Why it matters: County officials said the savings reduced pressure on the adopted budget and could amount to roughly half a million dollars in annual savings if current trends continue. Council members noted the operational effort required — including additional kitchen labor and trustee involvement — and thanked staff for the return to the general fund.

Next steps: Officials said they will continue monitoring costs and the program’s performance and report back as needed. There was no policy change requested at the meeting beyond approval of routine budget motions tied to the county’s fiscal processes.