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Board tables request to use canteen funds for $7,816 dental imaging sensor, asks for policy review
Summary
The prison board tabled a warden request to buy a DEXUS TI2 intraoral dental sensor for $7,816.18 using canteen funds and directed staff to produce clearer guidance on permissible canteen expenses before reconsidering the purchase.
The Lackawanna County Prison Board on May 20 tabled a request to use canteen-account funds to buy dental imaging equipment and asked staff to prepare clearer guidance on permissible canteen expenses.
Warden described a request from the facility’s medical provider, Armor Health, for a DEXUS TI2 intraoral digital sensor to replace the facility’s existing dental X‑ray system. "If the board authorizes the use of canteen account money for the purchase of the equipment, I recommend that the equipment is purchased from Banko Dental since they gave the lowest price for the equipment. The price they submitted was a total of $7,816.18," the warden said.
Board response: Board members questioned what counts as permissible canteen spending and asked the controller to provide monthly canteen receipts; one member said the board should create formal guidelines because "there's a lot of money sitting there" and the public should know what the account is for. The board voted to table the purchase request pending a report and policy discussion at the next meeting.
Context from controller and public comment: Controller Deilio reported an inmate checking balance of $442,261 and a canteen checking balance of $445,856.82 and discussed two PLGIT investments the transcript described as together totaling about $989,949; public commenter Joan Hodawan Scranton referenced those PLGIT funds and asked the board to consider literacy/dyslexia screening at the prison and to coordinate with the county literacy committee on funding options.
What the board asked for next: The board directed staff to provide (1) the monthly canteen receipts and typical revenue levels, and (2) a clearer policy or guideline on which purchases are permissible from the canteen account before any final vote on the dental equipment purchase.
